The U.S. military has initiated a program aimed at enhancing traditional communication infrastructures to improve the security of quantum devices and the information shared over the Internet.

Quantum networks utilize the quantum states of particles for information sharing, thereby ensuring high security. For instance, the messages linked to these quantum states cannot be copied without detection due to inherent quantum properties. Consequently, numerous quantum communication networks have already been established globally.

However, the development of a fully functional quantum internet remains restricted due to various unresolved technological challenges. Instead of awaiting the resolution of these issues, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has propelled a program focused on uncovering the immediate advantages of integrating quantum technologies into existing communication networks.

The agency emphasizes its goal of pinpointing practical and beneficial quantum enhancements available in the short term. Allison O’Brien, DARPA Program Manager of the Quantum Organised Network (Quanet) initiative, remarks, “We can’t convert everything from classical to quantum.”

In August, the Quanet team participated in a Hackathon, culminating in a tangible demonstration. Light was placed into a specific quantum state that successfully transmitted images, including the DARPA logo and simple cat graphics. This initial trial of the quantum-enhanced network achieved sufficient bitrate to stream high-resolution videos.

O’Brien indicates that the quantum state demonstrated is just one example of the multitude of quantum properties the Quanet initiative is investigating. Researchers are also delving into “hyperparting,” where multiple light properties are simultaneously linked through the complex nature of quantum entanglement. Initial mathematical models suggest this could allow for the encoding of more secure data within fewer optical signals, optimizing resource use within quantum networks.

Meanwhile, the team is exploring the prospect of generating light with certain quantum-like characteristics, but without fully altering the physical properties at a fundamental level.

Furthermore, Quanet researchers are designing quantum network interface cards that integrate with communication devices to facilitate the transmission and reception of quantum signals.

Numerous questions remain concerning the practical utility of these innovations, including optimal deployment stages and network design levels. However, O’Brien reassures that Quanet is uniting experts in quantum physics, electrical engineering, and networking to comprehensively address these inquiries.

“Quantum networks are not designed to be a universal solution.” states Joseph Lukens from Purdue University, Indiana. They excel in specific tasks, and performing them effectively necessitates some conventional networking components. “The future lies in the automatic integration of quantum networks with traditional ones,” Lukens asserts. He believes that initiatives like Quanet are valuable, despite the numerous questions we still face regarding the potential enhancement of our well-established internet infrastructure.

If this program successfully devises a means for users to activate an ultra-secure “quantum mode” on their devices, it will mark a significant achievement. In that scenario, we could all benefit from these advancements without needing to understand the complexities of quantum physics, says Lukens.