One of the main European projects working to create a blueprint for a pan-European quantum internet based on entanglement is the Quantum Internet Alliance (QIA). Its main goals are to improve the European quantum internet ecosystem and build the first full-stack prototype quantum internet network in history. By connecting quantum computers over great distances something that is not achievable with classical communication alone QIA seeks to attain previously unheard-of capabilities through quantum communication.
Foundation and Leadership of Quantum Internet Alliance
The Paris Centre for Quantum Computing, ICFO, the University of Innsbruck, QuTech (a partnership between TU Delft and TNO), and other prominent European leaders in the field founded QIA in 2017 with the goal of promoting a sustained European partnership to promote the development of the quantum internet on a global scale. Quantum Internet Alliance(QIA) is part of the EU Quantum Technologies Flagship, a 10-year program that was started in 2018 by the European Commission with a 1 billion euro initial budget to maintain Europe leading the second quantum revolution. The director of the Quantum Internet Alliance is Prof. Dr. Stephanie Wehner of QuTech, and QuTech is proud to be its technical coordinator, managing the alliance’s outreach and project management.
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Technological Blueprint and Prototype Development
The main goal of QIA is to develop a methodical “Blueprint” for a large-scale quantum internet that is informed by an entire systems design process and driven by deliberate advancements in essential components. This entails pushing the boundaries of technology in both quantum repeaters, which include atomic gases, quantum dots, and rare-earth-based memory, and quantum end nodes, which use trapped ion qubits, diamond NV qubits, and neutral atom qubits. By demonstrating the first integration of these subsystems, the alliance hopes to advance from point-to-point connections to multi-node networks by achieving entanglement and teleportation over several distant quantum network nodes.
The ultimate objective is to construct a prototype network with two quantum processor-based metropolitan-scale networks joined by a quantum repeater-based long-distance fibre backbone. Because of its totally programmable nature, this network can be used to implement a wide range of applications using software that is independent of platform. The first phase of this massive project began in October 2022 and costs 24 million euros. It is part of a seven-year program.
Important Developments and Innovations
Quantum Internet Alliance(QIA) has already achieved great progress; the Project Management Institute named its H2020 FET-FLAGSHIP project (October 2018–March 2022) one of the top 5 most influential technological projects in the world in 2021. Among the noteworthy technological highlights are:
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- The first three-node quantum processor network in history, which shows entanglement amongst diamond processors that are not directly coupled through a middle node.
- Using the Quantum Network Operating System (QNodeOS), the world’s first quantum software and network stack was combined and tested on a multi-node network, allowing for platform-independent application creation.
- Long-distance quantum communication will be made possible by an elementary, cutting-edge quantum repeater link that can herald the development of entanglement between rare-earth ion quantum memory at telecom wavelengths.
- The creation of a comprehensive simulation framework to simulate and optimise quantum network requirements on actual fibre networks using NetSquid, a discrete event simulator.
- Development of novel components with commercial utility beyond quantum communication, such as high-resolution FPGA-based time-to-digital converters (Swabian Instruments), an external cavity diode laser (TOPTICA), and a novel processed CVD diamond material (ElementSIX).
Additionally, QIA has achieved record quantum memory efficiency in cold atom-based memories, a quantum logic gate between distant neutral atom nodes, and entanglement across Ion Trap processors across campuses.
Building a Quantum Internet Ecosystem
Beyond technical developments, Quantum Internet Alliance(QIA) is actively promoting a creative European quantum internet environment. This includes assisting up-and-coming European businesses who are bringing QIA technology to market, such WeLinQ and Q*Bird. The alliance also offers the community useful resources, such as the Quantum Network Explorer (QNE), a special web platform for creating application software on QIAs and other hardware platforms, and the Quantum Protocol Zoo, which includes several application protocols.
As the co-founder and co-leader of the Quantum Internet Research Group within the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), a preeminent classical networking standards group, QIA is dedicated to creating standards for quantum internet technologies. They also interact with CEN-CENELEC and other standardisation organisations. With benefits expected for industries including finance and telecoms, the partnership focusses on converting the potential of quantum internet technology into targeted, industry-relevant use cases. In order to facilitate widespread involvement and investigation of this technology, QIA plans to hold open forums, workshops, and hackathons.
Cooperation and Prospects
QIA is a multidisciplinary and diversified team of 40 partners from nine different countries, including academic institutions, telecom operators, system integrators, and entrepreneurs in the quantum technology space. They think that in order to create the quantum internet and reap its benefits for society, a cooperative “team effort” is required.
In the future, Quantum Internet Alliance(QIA) hopes to spread its operations and technology to all EU member states. With professional options and an internship program for students, engineers, and entrepreneurs, they aggressively seek out brilliant people from a variety of areas, including theoretical and experimental physics, computer science, and electrical engineering, to join their goal. The ultimate objective is to make quantum internet innovation accessible to all by expediting the shift from basic research to technical solutions.
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