TY - JOUR
T1 - Deploying an Inter-European Quantum Network
AU - Ribezzo, Domenico
AU - Zahidy, Mujtaba
AU - Vagniluca, Ilaria
AU - Biagi, Nicola
AU - Francesconi, Saverio
AU - Occhipinti, Tommaso
AU - Oxenløwe, Leif K.
AU - Lončarić, Martin
AU - Cvitić, Ivan
AU - Stipčević, Mario
AU - Pušavec, Žiga
AU - Kaltenbaek, Rainer
AU - Ramšak, Anton
AU - Cesa, Francesco
AU - Giorgetti, Giorgio
AU - Scazza, Francesco
AU - Bassi, Angelo
AU - De Natale, Paolo
AU - Cataliotti, Francesco Saverio
AU - Inguscio, Massimo
AU - Bacco, Davide
AU - Zavatta, Alessandro
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Advanced Quantum Technologies published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Around 40 years have passed since the first pioneering works introduced the possibility of using quantum physics to enhance communications safety. Nowadays, quantum key distribution (QKD) exited the physics laboratories to become a mature technology, triggering the attention of States, military forces, banks, and private corporations. This work takes on the challenge of bringing QKD closer to a consumer technology: deployed optical fibers by telecommunication companies of different States have been used to realize a quantum network, the first-ever connecting three different countries. This work also emphasizes the necessity of networks where QKD can come up besides classical communications, whose coexistence currently represents the main limitation of this technology. This network connects Trieste to Rijeka and Ljubljana via a trusted node in Postojna. A key rate of over 3 kbps in the shortest link and a 7-hour-long measurement demonstrate the system's stability and reliability. The network has been used to present the QKD at the G20 Digital Ministers' Meeting in Trieste. The experimental results, together with the interest that one of the most important events of international politics has attracted, showcase the maturity of the QKD technology bundle, placing it in the spotlight for consumer applications in the near term.
AB - Around 40 years have passed since the first pioneering works introduced the possibility of using quantum physics to enhance communications safety. Nowadays, quantum key distribution (QKD) exited the physics laboratories to become a mature technology, triggering the attention of States, military forces, banks, and private corporations. This work takes on the challenge of bringing QKD closer to a consumer technology: deployed optical fibers by telecommunication companies of different States have been used to realize a quantum network, the first-ever connecting three different countries. This work also emphasizes the necessity of networks where QKD can come up besides classical communications, whose coexistence currently represents the main limitation of this technology. This network connects Trieste to Rijeka and Ljubljana via a trusted node in Postojna. A key rate of over 3 kbps in the shortest link and a 7-hour-long measurement demonstrate the system's stability and reliability. The network has been used to present the QKD at the G20 Digital Ministers' Meeting in Trieste. The experimental results, together with the interest that one of the most important events of international politics has attracted, showcase the maturity of the QKD technology bundle, placing it in the spotlight for consumer applications in the near term.
KW - European quantum communication infrastructure
KW - Fibre optic network
KW - Quantum communication
KW - Quantum communication field trial
KW - Quantum internet
KW - Quantum key distribution
KW - Quantum network
U2 - 10.1002/qute.202200061
DO - 10.1002/qute.202200061
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85144031709
SN - 2511-9044
VL - 6
JO - Advanced Quantum Technologies
JF - Advanced Quantum Technologies
IS - 2
M1 - 2200061
ER -