Periodic Reporting for period 1 - QIA-Phase1 (Quantum Internet Alliance - Phase1)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-10-01 al 2024-03-31
1. Related to the technology goal: the realisation of a full-stack prototype network, able to distribute entanglement between two metropolitan-scale networks via a long-distance backbone (>500 km) using quantum repeaters.
2. Related to the innovation goal: the establishment of a European platform for quantum internet development, which will act as a catalyst for a European quantum internet ecosystem including all actors along the value chain.
QIA is building the world's first quantum internet prototype following a systems engineering approach. This network will enable advanced quantum-network applications and prepare the ground for secure quantum computing in the cloud, thanks to our new generation of end nodes including both processing nodes and low-cost photonic client devices. Nodes in the metropolitan network will be interconnected via hubs that allow the scalable connection of hundreds of end nodes, paving the way for early adopters. The long-distance backbone will be realised using fully functional quantum repeaters unlocking Pan-European end-to-end quantum communication. QIA’s prototype network will operate on standard optical fibres and serves to validate all key sub-systems, ready to be scaled by European industry. Parallel to the focused effort to build a prototype system, the exploration of alternative hardware platforms and other technical solutions that have a clear potential to improve the performance, scalability and functionality of the final product is ongoing in the design alternatives track.
In this first phase (SGA Phase 1), QIA will advance towards the long-term objectives set up in the Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) project.
‒ Metropolitan Network
o Advancement of trapped-ion end-node processors, demonstrating three qubits per end node and an ion-photon communication interface at telecom wavelengths in the lab;
o Realisation of a deployed quantum link and demonstrated heralded entanglement delivery between solid-state qubits separated at metropolitan scale: two independently operated quantum network nodes separated by 10km. The two nodes hosting diamond spin qubits are linked with a midpoint station via 25km of deployed optical fibre.
‒ Long-distance Backbone
o Advancement of quantum repeaters, demonstrating the transmission of telecom photons entangled with multimode solid-state quantum memories over deployed optical fibres in a metropolitan area;
o Advancements on quantum repeater nodes with individual atoms in cavities, including up to six cavity coupled atoms and the generation of two-dimensional cluster states.
‒ Software and Integration Stack
o Advancement of the control stack by the development of a time-sharing algorithm to connect many users;
‒ Use Cases
o Development of a common framework of “use case cards” for the potential future quantum internet applications;
o Release of the open-source software package SquidASM on GitHub to enable the study of use cases, their implementation and their technical requirements.