Robustness of noisy quantum networks

• Main Authors: Coutinho, B.C (Author), Munro, W.J (Author), Nemoto, K. (Author), Omar, Y. (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Research 2022
• Subjects: Catastrophic loss; Complex networks; Large-scales; Network size; Network topology; Network-based; Quantum entanglement; Quantum network; Quantum repeaters; Quantum technologies; Random loss; Scale-free network topology; Topology
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher

 Quantum networks allow us to harness networked quantum technologies and to develop a quantum internet. But how robust is a quantum network when its links and nodes start failing? We show that quantum complex networks based on typical noisy quantum-repeater nodes are prone to discontinuous phase transitions with respect to the random loss of operating links and nodes, abruptly compromising the connectivity of the network, and thus significantly limiting the reach of its operation. Furthermore, we determine the critical quantum-repeater efficiency necessary to avoid this catastrophic loss of connectivity as a function of the network topology, the network size, and the distribution of entanglement in the network. From all the network topologies tested, a scale-free network topology shows the best promise for a robust large-scale quantum internet. © 2022, The Author(s).