Qunnect and NYU successfully test 10-mile quantum network link
In its latest step forward for fiber-based networks, Qunnect and New York University announced this week that they successfully tested a 10-mile (16-km) quantum networking link between the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where Qunnect has an R&D facility, and NYU’s campus in Manhattan.
During this test, Qunnect and NYU’s Center for Quantum Information Physics (CQIP) used Qunnect’s GothamQ quantum network to transmit highly entangled photonic qubits at a rate of 15,000 pairs/second over existing commercial fiber optic cable with 99% uptime.This technical milestone could help open the door for commercial organizations in sectors like financial services, critical infrastructure, and telecom, in increase their trust in the stability of quantum networks.
“This test represents the next step in building a quantum network that engages clients in critical industries that need to future-proof their security,” says Noel Goddard, CEO of Qunnect. “In demonstrating sustained delivery of high-quality entangled qubits over 10 miles of real fiber, we have validated GothamQ as the country’s first commercial metropolitan network supporting entanglement distribution networking protocols with hardware that is ready to be deployed today.”
Stacie Grossman Bloom, NYU’s vice provost for research and chief research officer, stated, “This foundational achievement will pave the way for future expansion of an underground, high-capacity fiber optic network connecting NYU with New York City’s other institutions, including financial and banking centers and technology companies, through quantum communication and computing.”
“With the purity produced by our entanglement sources and the automation of our controlling and monitoring systems, the roadmap for scaling from two nodes towards a full metropolitan network in cities around the world has become much clearer,” added Mehdi Namazi, chief science officer of Qunnect. Namazi will be a featured speaker at next month’s IQT NYC event, for which the company also is a sponsor.
Qunnect unveiled its new R&D facility earlier this year.
Image caption: Using standard telecom fiber, shown here, Qunnect and NYU successfully transmitted quantum information from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Photo credit: David Song/New York University.
Dan O’Shea has covered telecommunications and related topics including semiconductors, sensors, retail systems, digital payments and quantum computing/technology for over 25 years.
