US Army Funded Research Brings Quantum Internet Closer

(SciTechDaily) A U.S. Army funded research result brings the quantum internet a step closer. Such an internet could offer the military security, sensing, and timekeeping capabilities not possible with traditional networking approaches.
Researchers at the University of Innsbruck, funded by the US Army, achieved a record for the transfer of quantum entanglement between matter and light — a distance of 50 kilometers was covered using fiber optic cables. Researchers said this brings the quantum internet a step closer. In a nonlinear crystal illuminated by a strong laser, the photon wavelength was converted to the optimal value for long-distance travel
“The demonstration is a major step forward for achieving large scale distributed entanglement,” said Dr. Sara Gamble, co-manager of the Army program supporting the research. “The quality of the entanglement after traveling through fiber is also high enough at the other end to meet some of the requirements for some of the most difficult quantum networking applications.”