Quantum cryptography has been around since the 1980's but up until now only very small packets of information have been able to be encrypted at one time. Now a breakthrough that identifies the angle and rotation of photon particles is taking this technology to the next level.
Since the first working prototype of a quantum transmission device (PDF) was produced in 1989 only binary data has been transmittable. Move forward to 2010 and researchers have unlocked the potential of quantum cryptography by developing a technique that allows the transmission of more complex messages.

Scientists at the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde in the U.K. and Rochester in the U.S. have discovered that the randomness of quantum physics also applies to the alignment of photons, and that the rate and angle of rotation of a photon particle can be measured.