US 2024/0204887 A1 · OPERATING A LAYERED QUANTUM NETWORKING ENVIRONMENT WITH ENTANGLEMENT SWAP OPERATIONS

A method for managing entangled quantum states in a network of nodes, for a plurality of time periods, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first node in the network, a first message indicating that a first quantum element at the first node is entangled with a quantum element at a second node in the network, where the first message comprises a first identifier that uniquely identifies one of a plurality of entanglement generation operations between the first and second nodes over a first time period of the plurality of time periods;
receiving, at the first node, a second message indicating that a second quantum element at the first node is entangled with a quantum element at a third node in the network, where the second message comprises a second identifier that uniquely identifies one of a plurality of entanglement generation operations between the first and third nodes over the first time period;
and
generating, at the first node, a third identifier that identifies an entanglement resulting from an entanglement swap operation based on the entangled quantum elements at the first and second nodes and the entangled quantum elements at the first and third nodes, where the generating comprises:
including at least a portion of the first identifier in the third identifier, and
including at least a portion of the second identifier in the third identifier.

3 more elements

A system comprising:

a network of nodes in which each of a plurality of nodes in the network of nodes includes at least one quantum element and is connected to at least one other node in the network of nodes by a quantum communication channel coupled to the quantum element;
where network of nodes is configured to:
receive, at a first node in the network, a first message indicating that a first quantum element at the first node is entangled with a quantum element at a second node in the network, where the first message comprises a first identifier that uniquely identifies one of a plurality of entanglement generation operations between the first and second nodes over a first time period of a plurality of time periods;
receive, at the first node, a second message indicating that a second quantum element at the first node is entangled with a quantum element at a third node in the network, where the second message comprises a second identifier that uniquely identifies one of a plurality of entanglement generation operations between the first and third nodes over the first time period;
and
generate, at the first node, a third identifier that identifies an entanglement resulting from an entanglement swap operation based on the entangled quantum elements at the first and second nodes and the entangled quantum elements at the first and third nodes, where the generating comprises:
including at least a portion of the first identifier in the third identifier, and
including at least a portion of the second identifier in the third identifier.

5 more elements

A method for managing entangled quantum states in a network of nodes, the method comprising:

for each of two or more pairs of nodes on a path over a set of N nodes in the network, establishing entanglement between pairs of quantum elements in the respective nodes of that pair of nodes based at least in part on one or more quantum signals transmitted over one or more quantum communication channels, where N>3;
performing a plurality of entanglement swap operations among different respective subsets of nodes in the set of N nodes using the pairs of entangled quantum elements, where each entanglement swap operation comprises:
performing a joint measurement on a non-entangled pair of quantum elements in a node that is a member of two different pairs of nodes of the two or more pairs of nodes, resulting in a measurement result;
and
managing the plurality of entanglement swap operations during establishment of end-to-end entanglement between respective quantum elements in the nodes at the ends of the path over the set of N nodes using a set of classical messages transmitted over one or more classical communication channels, where each of at least two classical messages in the set of classical messages comprises one or both of:
information indicating success or failure of a particular entanglement swap operation, and
information indicating the measurement result of the joint measurement performed for the particular entanglement swap operation;
where one or more of the classical messages in the set of classical messages are sent in a first direction between nodes on the path, and one or more of the classical messages in the set of classical messages are sent a second direction opposite to the first direction between nodes on the path;
and
where none of the classical messages in the set of classical messages or messages acknowledging success or failure of one or more of the plurality of entanglement swap operations are transmitted from one of the nodes at the ends of the path with a destination of the other of the nodes at the ends of the path.

7 more elements

One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing a program for managing entangled quantum states in a network of nodes, the program comprising instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

for each of two or more pairs of nodes on a path over a set of N nodes in the network, establishing entanglement between pairs of quantum elements in the respective nodes of that pair of nodes based at least in part on one or more quantum signals transmitted over one or more quantum communication channels, where N>3;
performing a plurality of entanglement swap operations among different respective subsets of nodes in the set of N nodes using the pairs of entangled quantum elements, where each entanglement swap operation comprises:
performing a joint measurement on a non-entangled pair of quantum elements in a node that is a member of two different pairs of nodes of the two or more pairs of nodes, resulting in a measurement result;
and
managing the plurality of entanglement swap operations during establishment of end-to-end entanglement between respective quantum elements in the nodes at the ends of the path over the set of N nodes using a set of classical messages transmitted over one or more classical communication channels, where each of at least two classical messages in the set of classical messages comprises one or both of:
information indicating success or failure of a particular entanglement swap operation, and
information indicating the measurement result of the joint measurement performed for the particular entanglement swap operation;
where one or more of the classical messages in the set of classical messages are sent in a first direction between nodes on the path, and one or more of the classical messages in the set of classical messages are sent a second direction opposite to the first direction between nodes on the path;
and
where none of the classical messages in the set of classical messages or messages acknowledging success or failure of one or more of the plurality of entanglement swap operations are transmitted from one of the nodes at the ends of the path with a destination of the other of the nodes at the ends of the path.

7 more elements

A system comprising:

a network of nodes in which each of a plurality of nodes in the network of nodes includes at least one quantum element and is connected to at least one other node in the network of nodes by a quantum communication channel coupled to the quantum element;
where network of nodes is configured to:
for each of two or more pairs of nodes on a path over a set of N nodes in the network, establish entanglement between pairs of quantum elements in the respective nodes of that pair of nodes based at least in part on one or more quantum signals transmitted over one or more quantum communication channels, where N>3;
perform a plurality of entanglement swap operations among different respective subsets of nodes in the set of N nodes using the pairs of entangled quantum elements, where each entanglement swap operation comprises:
performing a joint measurement on a non-entangled pair of quantum elements in a node that is a member of two different pairs of nodes of the two or more pairs of nodes, resulting in a measurement result;
and
manage the plurality of entanglement swap operations during establishment of end-to-end entanglement between respective quantum elements in the nodes at the ends of the path over the set of N nodes using a set of classical messages transmitted over one or more classical communication channels, where each of at least two classical messages in the set of classical messages comprises one or both of:
information indicating success or failure of a particular entanglement swap operation, and
information indicating the measurement result of the joint measurement performed for the particular entanglement swap operation;
where one or more of the classical messages in the set of classical messages are sent in a first direction between nodes on the path, and one or more of the classical messages in the set of classical messages are sent a second direction opposite to the first direction between nodes on the path;
and
where none of the classical messages in the set of classical messages or messages acknowledging success or failure of one or more of the plurality of entanglement swap operations are transmitted from one of the nodes at the ends of the path with a destination of the other of the nodes at the ends of the path.

9 more elements

A method for managing entangled quantum states in a network of nodes, the method comprising:

sending, from a controller in the network, at least a portion of scheduling information to each of a plurality of nodes in the network, where the scheduling information specifies a procedure to be executed for scheduling entanglement swap operations associated with portions of a plurality of paths through nodes in the network;
for each of two or more pairs of nodes on a first path over a set of N nodes in the network, establishing entanglement between pairs of quantum elements in the respective nodes of that pair of nodes based at least in part on one or more quantum signals transmitted over one or more quantum communication channels, where N≥3;
performing a plurality of entanglement swap operations among different respective subsets of nodes in the set of N nodes using the pairs of entangled quantum elements;
and
managing the plurality of entanglement swap operations during establishment of end-to-end entanglement between respective quantum elements in the nodes at the ends of the first path over the set of N nodes based at least in part on:
at each of a first node, a second node, and a third node on the first path, using at least a portion of the scheduling information to perform at least a portion of the procedure, and
at the first node, generating a first identifier that identifies entanglement resulting from an entanglement swap operation based on (1) entangled quantum elements at the first and second nodes identified by a second identifier, and (2) entangled quantum elements at the first and third nodes identified by a third identifier, where the generating comprises:
including at least a portion of the second identifier in the first identifier, and including at least a portion of the third identifier in the first identifier.

5 more elements

One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing a program for managing entangled quantum states in a network of nodes, the program comprising instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

sending, from a controller in the network, at least a portion of scheduling information to each of a plurality of nodes in the network, where the scheduling information specifies a procedure to be executed for scheduling entanglement swap operations associated with portions of a plurality of paths through nodes in the network;
for each of two or more pairs of nodes on a first path over a set of N nodes in the network, establishing entanglement between pairs of quantum elements in the respective nodes of that pair of nodes based at least in part on one or more quantum signals transmitted over one or more quantum communication channels, where N≥3;
performing a plurality of entanglement swap operations among different respective subsets of nodes in the set of N nodes using the pairs of entangled quantum elements;
and
managing the plurality of entanglement swap operations during establishment of end-to-end entanglement between respective quantum elements in the nodes at the ends of the first path over the set of N nodes based at least in part on:
at each of a first node, a second node, and a third node on the first path, using at least a portion of the scheduling information to perform at least a portion of the procedure, and
at the first node, generating a first identifier that identifies entanglement resulting from an entanglement swap operation based on (1) entangled quantum elements at the first and second nodes identified by a second identifier, and (2) entangled quantum elements at the first and third nodes identified by a third identifier, where the generating comprises:
including at least a portion of the second identifier in the first identifier, and including at least a portion of the third identifier in the first identifier.

5 more elements

A system comprising:

a network of nodes in which each of a plurality of nodes in the network of nodes includes at least one quantum element and is connected to at least one other node in the network of nodes by a quantum communication channel coupled to the quantum element;
and
a controller in the network in communication with at least one node in the network of nodes;
where the controller and the network of nodes are configured to:
send, from the controller, at least a portion of scheduling information to each of a plurality of nodes in the network, where the scheduling information specifies a procedure to be executed for scheduling entanglement swap operations associated with portions of a plurality of paths through nodes in the network;
for each of two or more pairs of nodes on a first path over a set of N nodes in the network, establish entanglement between pairs of quantum elements in the respective nodes of that pair of nodes based at least in part on one or more quantum signals transmitted over one or more quantum communication channels, where N≥3;
perform a plurality of entanglement swap operations among different respective subsets of nodes in the set of N nodes using the pairs of entangled quantum elements;
and
manage the plurality of entanglement swap operations during establishment of end-to-end entanglement between respective quantum elements in the nodes at the ends of the first path over the set of N nodes based at least in part on:
at each of a first node, a second node, and a third node on the first path, using at least a portion of the scheduling information to perform at least a portion of the procedure, and
at the first node, generating a first identifier that identifies entanglement resulting from an entanglement swap operation based on (1) entangled quantum elements at the first and second nodes identified by a second identifier, and (2) entangled quantum elements at the first and third nodes identified by a third identifier, where the generating comprises:
including at least a portion of the second identifier in the first identifier, and including at least a portion of the third identifier in the first identifier.

9 more elements

A method for managing entangled quantum states in a network of nodes, the method comprising:

sending, from a controller in the network, at least a portion of scheduling information to each of a plurality of nodes in the network, where the scheduling information specifies a procedure to be executed for scheduling entanglement swap operations associated with portions of a plurality of paths through nodes in the network;
for each of two or more pairs of nodes on a first path over a set of N nodes in the network, establishing entanglement between pairs of quantum elements in the respective nodes of that pair of nodes based at least in part on one or more quantum signals transmitted over one or more quantum communication channels, where N>3;
performing a plurality of entanglement swap operations among different respective subsets of nodes in the set of N nodes using the pairs of entangled quantum elements;
and
managing the plurality of entanglement swap operations during establishment of end-to-end entanglement between respective quantum elements in the nodes at the ends of the first path over the set of N nodes based at least in part on:
the scheduling information,
identifiers that identify entanglement resulting from respective entanglement swap operations, and
a plurality of estimates of fidelity of entanglement between a first quantum element at the first node in the network and a second quantum element at a second node in the network, where the plurality of estimates are generated at different respective times and/or at different respective nodes in the network.

5 more elements

A system comprising:

a network of nodes in which each of a plurality of nodes in the network of nodes includes at least one quantum element and is connected to at least one other node in the network of nodes by a quantum communication channel coupled to the quantum element;
and
a controller in the network in communication with at least one node in the network of nodes;
where the controller and the network of nodes are configured to:
send, from the controller, at least a portion of scheduling information to each of a plurality of nodes in the network, where the scheduling information specifies a procedure to be executed for scheduling entanglement swap operations associated with portions of a plurality of paths through nodes in the network;
for each of two or more pairs of nodes on a first path over a set of N nodes in the network, establish entanglement between pairs of quantum elements in the respective nodes of that pair of nodes based at least in part on one or more quantum signals transmitted over one or more quantum communication channels, where N>3;
perform a plurality of entanglement swap operations among different respective subsets of nodes in the set of N nodes using the pairs of entangled quantum elements;
and
manage the plurality of entanglement swap operations during establishment of end-to-end entanglement between respective quantum elements in the nodes at the ends of the first path over the set of N nodes based at least in part on:
the scheduling information,
identifiers that identify entanglement resulting from respective entanglement swap operations, and
a plurality of estimates of fidelity of entanglement between a first quantum element at the first node in the network and a second quantum element at a second node in the network, where the plurality of estimates are generated at different respective times and/or at different respective nodes in the network.

9 more elements

Operating a layered quantum networking environment with entanglement swap operations

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Operating a layered quantum networking environment with entanglement swap operations

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims102