Quantum Network Planning for Utility Maximization

Abstract

Enabling quantum capabilities in future generations of networks requires integrating quantum hardware into existing network infrastructure and developing new protocols for quantum communications. However, the cost and inherent noise associated with quantum hardware necessitate an efficient deployment strategy with a minimal number of quantum repeaters and memories. In this paper, we introduce a comprehensive network planning framework for distributing quantum hardware across existing infrastructure, with the objective of maximizing quantum network utility within an entanglement distribution network. We showcase the results of our framework using a dumbbell network topology as a preliminary example and the SURFnet network as a real-world case study. We explore the impact of quantum memory multiplexing within quantum repeaters, as well as the influence of memory coherence time on quantum network utility. We further examine the effects of different fairness assumptions on network planning, unveiling their ramifications on real-time network performance.