Northwestern University Achieves Quantum Teleportation Over Live Internet Fiber

According to Northwestern University's, Northwestern Now news story, the university's researchers have successfully demonstrated quantum teleportation over a fiber-optic cable carrying live Internet traffic. The experiment marks a major step toward integrating quantum communication with existing network infrastructure.

Breakdown of the experiment

Led by Professor Prem Kumar of Northwestern’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the team transmitted both classical Internet signals and quantum information simultaneously over a 30-kilometer fiber line. Using less congested wavelength channels and specialized filters, they minimized interference from active data traffic, ensuring accurate quantum signal transmission.

What does this mean for fiber network infrastructure?

The demonstration shows that quantum communication can coexist with conventional Internet transmissions in a single fiber network. This could reduce the need for separate quantum lines, making it more practical for telecom networks. The study, published in Optica, was co-authored by PhD candidate Jordan Thomas, who conducted the experiments.

Future quantum and fiber research

Future work will focus on extending the distance of quantum signal transmission and implementing entanglement swapping. Entanglement swapping uses multiple entangled photon pairs to enhance scalability. The research team also plans to test the system on fiber networks in the real world to see how it performs outside the lab.

A possible framework for engineers and designers

According to Northwestern University, the experiment provides a practical framework for integrating quantum technologies into current telecommunications infrastructure. The findings offer valuable insights for network engineers, system designers, and quantum communication specialists looking to bridge classical and quantum networks.