Satellites promise global-scale quantum networks
S. Goswami1,2, S. Dhara3, N. Sinclair4,5, M. Mohageg6, J.S. Sidhu7, S. Mukhopadhyay8, M. Krutzik9,10, J.R. Lowell6, D.K.L. Oi7, M. Gündoğan9, Y.-C. Chen1, H.-H. Jen1,11, and C. Simon2,12
Published in:
Optica Quantum, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 590-605, doi:10.1364/OPTICAQ.567531 (2025).
Abstract:
Academia, governments, and industry around the world are on a quest to build long-distance quantum communication networks for a future quantum internet. Using air and fiber channels, quantum communication quickly faced the daunting challenge of exponential photon loss with distance. Quantum repeaters were invented to solve the loss problem by probabilistically establishing entanglement over short distances and using quantum memories to synchronize the teleportation of such entanglement to long distances. However, due to imperfections and complexities of quantum memories, ground-based proof-of-concept repeater demonstrations have yet been restricted to metropolitan-scale distances. In contrast, direct photon transmission from satellites through empty space faces almost no exponential absorption loss and only quadratic beam divergence loss. A single satellite successfully distributed entanglement over more than 1,200 km. It is becoming increasingly clear that quantum communication over large intercontinental distances (e.g., 4,000–20,000 km) will likely employ a satellite-based architecture. This could involve quantum memories and repeater protocols in satellites, or memory-less satellite-chains through which photons are simply reflected, or some combination thereof. Rapid advancements in the space launch and classical satellite communications industry provide a strong tailwind for satellite quantum communication, promising economical and easier deployment of quantum communication satellites.
1 Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei City, Taiwan
2 Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, and Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
3 Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
4 John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, 29 Oxford St, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
5 Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, and Alliance for Quantum Technologies (AQT), California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125, USA
6 Boeing Research and Technology, 929 Long Bridge Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22202, USA
7 SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, UK
8 Centre for Computational and Data Sciences, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
9 Institut für Physik and Center for the Science of Materials Berlin (CSMB), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, Berlin 12489, Germany
10 Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH), Gustav-Kirchoff-Str. 4, Berlin 12489, Germany
11 Physics Division, National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Taipei City, Taiwan
Topics:
Quantum communications; Quantum computation; Quantum information; Quantum key distribution; Quantum memories; Quantum teleportation
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