The race to create a quantum internet

Europe is pushing to create a new, more secure network infrastructure based on quantum physics, which would help prevent hackers from stealing information .

In May 2023, Dr. Benjamin Lanyon of the University of Innsbruck in Austria took a major step toward creating a new kind of Internet . He transmitted information along a 50km fiber optic cable, using the principles of quantum physics. Information in quantum physics is different from the binary digits of data that are stored and processed by computers, the core of today's World Wide Web. The world of quantum physics focuses on the properties and interactions of molecules, atoms, and even smaller particles such as electrons and photons. Quantum bits, or qubits, offer the potential for more precise transmission of information, helping to prevent cyber-theft.

Europe, China and the US are investing in developing quantum computers and the Internet. (Photo: metamorworks)

Lanyon said his research will make the quantum internet possible within cities, with the eventual goal of inter-city distances. His breakthrough is part of a European Union (EU) research project aimed at moving closer to a quantum internet. Called the Quantum Internet Alliance (QIA), the project brings together research institutes and companies across Europe. QIA has received $25.5 million in funding from the EU over three and a half years, until the end of March 2026, according to Phys.org.

' The quantum internet will not replace the conventional internet, but rather complement it , ' said Stephanie Wehner, professor of quantum information at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and coordinator of the QIA.

An important concept in quantum physics is quantum entanglement . If two particles are entangled, no matter how far apart they are in space, they still possess similar properties. For example, they both have the same 'spin,' which represents the direction of an elementary particle's intrinsic angular momentum. The spin state of a particle is not clear until it is observed. Before that, they are in various states called superpositions. But once observed, the states of both particles are clearly defined.

This is useful for secure communications. Those who intercept quantum transmissions will leave a clear trace by making changes to the state of the observed particle. "We can use the properties of quantum entanglement to achieve a secure communication even if the attacker has a quantum computer ," Wehner explains.

The secure communications capabilities of a quantum internet could open up a much wider range of applications than the traditional internet. In medicine, for example, quantum entanglement could enable clock synchronization, improving remote surgery. And in astronomy, telescopes making long-distance observations could 'use the quantum internet to create entanglement between sensors, providing much better quality images of the sky ,' Wehner said.

The challenge now is to scale up the quantum internet to use many particles over long distances. Lanyon and his colleagues also demonstrated communication not just between individual particles but also between beams of particles (in this case, photons), boosting the rate of entanglement between quantum nodes. The ultimate goal is to extend quantum nodes to larger ranges, perhaps 500 kilometers, creating a quantum internet that could connect remote cities, similar to the traditional internet.

Outside of Europe, China and the United States have also made strides in quantum computing and the Internet in recent years. Europe is further along in developing integrated space and ground infrastructure for secure communications, a core part of the quantum Internet.