Chicago builds America's longest 200-kilometer quantum key distribution network

On June 16, the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago and the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) announced the first use of a quantum network connecting labs in the city and suburbs of Chicago—nearly twice the length of the longest quantum network in the United States . The Chicago network, which is about to open to academia and industry, will be one of the first publicly available testbeds for quantum-safe technologies in the United States.

The suburban Argonne National Laboratory has already launched an 89-mile (144-kilometer) quantum loop in 2020 and has built a new 35-mile (56-kilometer) extension on top of that. The entire network, which now consists of six nodes and 124 miles (200 kilometers) of optical fiber, transmits particles carrying quantum-encoded information between Argonne National Laboratory and two buildings on Chicago's south side, one on the University of Chicago campus and the other on the Chicago campus. CQE headquarters near Hyde Park.

This makes Chicago the center of one of the largest quantum networks in the United States and further cements the region's position as the world's leading center for quantum research.

Chicago 200km Quantum Network Routes and Nodes

Currently, the network is actively running a quantum-secure protocol using technology provided by Toshiba, distributing quantum keys over fiber-optic cables at speeds exceeding 80,000 qubits per second between Chicago and the western suburbs . Toshiba's participation in the project makes the Chicago Network a unique collaboration between academia, government and industry.

Researchers will use the Chicago network to test new communication devices, security protocols and algorithms that will eventually connect remote quantum computers across the United States and around the world. This work is an important step toward a national quantum internet that will have profound implications for communications, computing, and national security.

"The Chicago quantum network provides researchers with unprecedented opportunities to Transfer quantum information in real-world settings and push the boundaries of what is currently possible with quantum-safe protocols. This expansion enables scientists from academia, industry, and government labs to collaborate to advance our fundamental understanding of quantum communications and develop secure the quantum internet.”

Jay Lowell, chief scientist of Boeing's Disruptive Computing and Networks team, said: "While the scope of this network is impressive, it is more important as a test bed for how quantum networks can be used. We look forward to working with CQE to explore quantum networks. The evolution of architectures to connect quantum sensors and computers in new, exciting and useful ways."

The rise of quantum computers is both a huge opportunity and a fundamental threat. Once in use, they promise to solve a variety of problems that are nearly impossible for ordinary computers, making it easy to break current encryption. In April, U.S. senators introduced the Quantum Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, which prioritizes timely quantum-proof encryption of sensitive information to prevent nefarious people from "stealing data now, and in stronger ways." Deciphering data when quantum computers become a reality".

Scientists believe that quantum networks can be made virtually "unbreakable" using the laws of quantum mechanics. Experts around the world agree that the realization of quantum-secure communication networks is one of the most important technological frontiers of the 21st century .

Hacker-proof encryption can be accomplished using quantum key distribution, a quantum-secure technology that was activated on June 6, 2022, on the Chicago-area quantum network in partnership with Toshiba. Key distribution is a regular part of most internet security, but quantum technology can make it nearly immune to hacking.

In quantum key distribution, a quantum-secure protocol is used to distribute secret digital keys between parties transmitting sensitive data. Quantum keys are based on photons sent over a fiber-optic network, using the quantum properties of photons to encode the bits that make up the key. Any attempt to intercept a photon destroys the information carried by the photon. This uncrackable communication has applications anywhere secure communication is especially important, including industries such as finance, defense, voting, and more.

Yasushi Kawakura, vice president of Toshiba Digital Solutions, said: "We are excited to continue our collaboration with the Chicago Quantum Exchange as network testing begins. Most importantly, we develop quantum verification technology to proactively defend against threats from the quantum future. "

Reference link:

https://chicagoquantum.org/news/chicago-expands-and-activates-quantum-network-taking-steps-toward-secure-quantum-internet