Quantum technology companies Qubitekk and Qunnect have successfully demonstrated the interoperability of their equipment on the EPB Quantum Network. This marks the first time hardware developed by two independent companies has supported entanglement-based quantum communication on a commercial network. The demonstration involved Qunnect’s Automatic Polarization Controller (QU-APC) and Qubitekk’s entangled photon source. The results showed Qunnect’s QU-APC maintained 99% fidelity with 99%+ channel uptime. The successful demonstration is a significant step towards the integration of diverse quantum technologies for enhanced communication capabilities.
Quantum Technology Milestone: Interoperability Achievement on EPB Quantum Network
In a significant development in the quantum technology landscape, Qubitekk and Qunnect, two quantum networking hardware companies, have successfully demonstrated equipment interoperability on the EPB Quantum Network. This marks the first time hardware developed by two independent companies has supported entanglement-based quantum communication on a commercial network. The demonstration took place from December 4-6, 2023, at the EPB Quantum Network, the first commercially available quantum network in the United States.
This achievement paves the way for the integration of diverse quantum technologies for enhanced communication capabilities. It also signifies a pivotal moment in the quantum technology industry, showcasing the potential for independent companies to collaborate and innovate in this rapidly evolving field.
Dual Demonstration of Polarization Control
The demonstration involved Qunnect’s commercial-grade Automatic Polarization Controller (QU-APC), previously tested on its New York-based GothamQ quantum network. The QU-APC was evaluated on the EPB Quantum Network, which combines fiber optic connectivity managed by EPB and commercially available quantum networking hardware from Qubitekk.
The collaborative team of EPB, Qubitekk, and Qunnect engineers and physicists successfully validated the interoperability between Qunnect’s QU-APC and Qubitekk’s entangled photon source. This marked the first time Qunnect’s QU-APC has been tested for operation on a commercial quantum network. The teams also validated optimal performance conditions for each company’s APC.
Key Findings from the Demonstration
The demonstration revealed two key findings. Firstly, Qunnect’s QU-APC performed fast channel stabilization, maintaining 99% fidelity with 99%+ channel uptime. Secondly, in tests where the Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER) was rapidly increased, Qunnect’s QU-APC was able to restore the system instantaneously.
These results are significant as they validate the performance of Qunnect’s QU-APC and its ability to maintain high fidelity and uptime in a commercial quantum network. They also highlight the potential for quantum technology to provide robust and reliable communication solutions.
Future Implications and Commitment to Quantum Industry Collaboration
The successful demonstration signifies an important step towards identifying Automatic Polarization Control (APC) solutions for aerial fiber quantum networks or hybrid buried/aerial networks. As more networks are built and existing networks expand, aerial fibers will likely be incorporated for qubit transmission. The interoperability demonstration with Qunnect is an important step toward identifying APC solutions for these networks.
The CEOs of Qunnect, EPB, and Qubitekk expressed their commitment to advancing quantum industry collaboration. They emphasized the importance of this demonstration in validating performance and achieving commercial viability, a critical phase of bringing technologies to market.
Harnessing the Position of Light for Groundbreaking Innovation
Quantum networks rely on photons, the most fundamental particles of light, to encode information. One of the most common ways of encoding information on photons is to use their polarization. The role of the APC is to ensure the preservation of polarization as the photons travel long distances in optical fibers. The ability of Qunnect’s QU-APC to preserve the entanglement with fidelities higher than 99% opens the door to future use cases of distributed sensing and quantum computing.
About EPB, Qubitekk, and Qunnect
EPB is a municipal utility that delivers world-class energy and connectivity services to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the surrounding area. It operates the world’s fastest community-wide internet service today at speeds up to 25 Gig and established the nation’s first commercially available quantum network—EPB Quantum Network℠ powered by Qubitekk.
Qubitekk designs, builds, and integrates the hardware and software for quantum networks. It holds more patents than any American player in quantum communications and security and has been recognized with an Edison Gold Award and R&D World’s R&D 100 Award.
Qunnect innovates and commercializes the core technologies needed for scalable quantum-secure communication. In 2021, the company commercialized the world’s first quantum memory. In 2023, the company launched its GothamQ network in New York City.
“Collaborating with Qubitekk and EPB on this compatibility project was an important step for us,” said Noel Goddard, Qunnect CEO. “This successful demonstration reinforces our dedication to delivering top-tier quantum networking hardware that can integrate into other quantum networks.”
“EPB Quantum Network is an important platform to contribute to the advancement of quantum technologies that will prepare our nation for the quantum age, and we’re ready to work with developers from across the country here in Chattanooga,”
said David Wade, EPB’s president and CEO.
Working together, quantum technology developers have the opportunity to set priorities that define the standards for our industry,” stated Duncan Earl, president and CTO at Qubitekk. “Developing quantum technology requires contributions from academia, government and industry. This demonstration reflects the critical role only industry can play in moving quantum technologies out of the laboratory and into the marketplace, and we look forward to more opportunities to continue this work with Qunnect.
Summary
In a significant development for quantum technology, two independent companies have successfully demonstrated the interoperability of their equipment, supporting entanglement-based quantum communication on a commercial network for the first time. This breakthrough paves the way for the integration of diverse quantum technologies, enhancing communication capabilities and potentially opening the door to future applications in distributed sensing and quantum computing.
- Quantum technology companies Qubitekk and Qunnect have successfully demonstrated the interoperability of their equipment on the EPB Quantum Network. This marks the first time hardware developed by two independent companies has supported entanglement-based quantum communication on a commercial network.
- Qunnect’s Automatic Polarization Controller (QU-APC) was tested on the EPB Quantum Network, which combines fibre optic connectivity managed by EPB and quantum networking hardware from Qubitekk.
- The team of engineers and physicists from EPB, Qubitekk, and Qunnect validated the interoperability between Qunnect’s QU-APC and Qubitekk’s entangled photon source. This is the first time Qunnect’s QU-APC has been tested for operation on a commercial quantum network.
- The Automatic Polarization Controller (APC) function is critical for maintaining the channel fidelity, maximising channel uptime and minimising quantum bit error rate (QBER).
- Qunnect’s QU-APC performed fast channel stabilisation, maintaining 99% fidelity with 99%+ channel uptime. In tests where the QBER was rapidly increased, Qunnect’s QU-APC was able to restore the system instantaneously.
- Noel Goddard, Qunnect CEO, David Wade, EPB’s president and CEO, and Duncan Earl, president and CTO at Qubitekk, all expressed their commitment to advancing quantum industry collaboration.
