Quantum Internet: Networking Challenges in Distributed Quantum Computing

TLDR

The Quantum Internet, the final stage of the quantum revolution, promises distributed quantum computing but is constrained by quantum mechanics phenomena such as no‑cloning, measurement, entanglement, and teleportation, requiring a paradigm shift from classical network assumptions. This work aims to illuminate the challenges and open problems in designing the Quantum Internet. The authors first review essential quantum mechanics concepts, then explain quantum teleportation as the primary method for transmitting quantum information, and finally outline the key research challenges for quantum communication networks.

Abstract

The Quantum Internet is envisioned as the final stage of the quantum revolution, opening fundamentally new communications and computing capabilities, including the distributed quantum computing. But the Quantum Internet is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. Phenomena with no counterpart in classical networks, such as no-cloning, quantum measurement, entanglement and teleporting, impose very challenging constraints for the network design. Specifically, classical network functionalities, ranging from error-control mechanisms to overhead-control strategies, are based on the assumption that classical information can be safely read and copied. But this assumption does not hold in the Quantum Internet. As a consequence, the design of the Quantum Internet requires a major network-paradigm shift to harness the quantum mechanics specificities. The goal of this work is to shed light on the challenges and the open problems of the Quantum Internet design. To this aim, we first introduce some basic knowledge of quantum mechanics, needed to understand the differences between a classical and a quantum network. Then, we introduce quantum teleportation as the key strategy for transmitting quantum information without physically transferring the particle that stores the quantum information or violating the principles of the quantum mechanics. Finally, the key research challenges to design quantum communication networks are described.