A team of engineers from Northwestern University has conducted the first demonstration of quantum teleportation through fiber optic cables that already carry Internet traffic. This breakthrough, published in the journal Optica, paves the way for combining quantum communication with existing fiber optic infrastructures, significantly simplifying future applications of quantum computing and advanced technologies. “Our work shows a path towards next-generation quantum and classical networks sharing a unified infrastructure,” commented Prem Kumar, leader of the study.
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Subscribe (it's FREE) ►Quantum teleportation allows sharing information ultra-fast and securely between distant users, without the need to directly transmit the data. This phenomenon takes advantage of quantum entanglement, a technique that connects particles despite the distance between them. As Kumar explained, while classical communications use millions of light particles, quantum information employs individual photons. “Teleportation allows the exchange of information without it having to physically travel long distances,” detailed Jordan Thomas, co-author of the study.
Before this discovery, many doubted the viability of quantum teleportation in cables with classical traffic, given that the entangled photons would be lost among millions of light particles. However, Kumar’s team identified less congested wavelengths to place the photons, in addition to adding filters that reduce the noise generated by Internet traffic. “We placed our photons at a strategic point where the scattering mechanism is minimized,” explained Kumar.
Classic infrastructures can be leveraged
To test the method, the researchers used a 30-kilometer fiber optic cable with a photon at each end, simultaneously sent quantum information and high-speed traffic, and confirmed that the quantum information arrived intact at the destination after applying a quantum measurement protocol. “This work demonstrates the coexistence of quantum and classical communications in fiber optics,” highlighted Thomas.
The next steps include extending the experiments to greater distances and testing with cables installed underground. “If we choose the wavelengths well, it will not be necessary to build new infrastructures,” concluded Kumar, showing optimism. “Classical and quantum communications can coexist.”
