In a significant breakthrough, Purdue University engineers have successfully demonstrated a crucial connection for the quantum internet, bringing us one step closer to a functioning quantum network. This development is a significant milestone in the quest to build a robust quantum internet that can support the communication needs of powerful quantum computers and other quantum technology.
The team deployed a programmable switch, known as a wavelength-selective switch, to adjust how much data goes to each user by selecting and redirecting wavelengths of light. This innovation allows for the creation of a network with more users without adding to photon loss, a problem that tends to happen the farther photons have to travel through fiber optic networks. The wavelength-selective switch also can be programmed to adjust bandwidth according to a user’s needs, which is essential for distributing entanglement, the ability of photons to maintain a fixed quantum mechanical relationship with one another no matter how far apart they may be.