Toshiba Europe breaks quantum communication record with 600 km of optical fibres
www.eetimes.eu, Jun. 15, 2021 –
Engineers at the world-renowned Cambridge Research Laboratory of Toshiba Europe have demonstrated quantum key distribution (QKD) of optical fibres over a distance of 600 km which they claim is a major breakthrough in long-distance quantum communications.
Quantum links rely on photons to transmit encryption keys through the optical fibre, making them significantly more secure than existing networks.
The results hold out the prospect of quantum–secured information being sent between metropolitan areas, and the researchers say the work represents a significant advance towards building a future quantum internet.
They acknowledge that many technical barriers still remain before such a network of quantum computers connected via long-distance quantum communications becomes a reality, but maintain that their demonstration of how quantum bits can be transmitted over long optical fibre links is a significant step towards such a quantum internet.