A Canadian pioneer in quantum computing is getting access to critical networking infrastructure courtesy of one of the country’s major telcos.

Photonic Inc. is now able to tap into Telus’ PureFibre infrastructure to accelerate the development of next-generation quantum communications in Canada. This dedicated access to an advanced fiber-optic network will enable Vancouver-based Photonic to test its quantum technologies and real-world applications.

The collaboration sees Photonic getting access to 19-mile dedicated fiber network in Canada’s most western province of British Columbia. The network is configured to test increasingly complex quantum networking that leverage quantum encryption for ultra-secure, tamper-evident transfer of information over long distances.

In an interview with EE Times, Stephanie Simmons, Photonic founder and chief quantum officer, said access to the Telus network is part of the company’s efforts to deliver “phase three” quantum technologies. “All that’s on offer in the market right now for quantum is what I’ll call phase one quantum technologies, and those are relatively small scale and experimental.”

Simmons said these early quantum technologies are error prone and small scale. Phase three is much larger in scale and networked, which is why the Telus collaboration is so important. The scaling up of quantum computing is being guided by lessons in classical high performance computing (HPC), she added, and linking quantum systems together will deliver exponential speedups relative to their classical best known counterparts.

(Source: Photonic Inc.)

Networking quantum capabilities across Telus’ fiber optic infrastructure builds on Photonic’s previous milestone of achieving distributed logic between multiple quantum computers, Simmons said. One of the commercial applications that will be enabled by scaling up to phase three will be the ability to have physical proof of whether there are eavesdroppers along the chain. Eavesdropper detection will be critical as future quantum computers will have the have ability to break modern cryptography.

Simmons said having the physical infrastructure is critical for doing the development work, and Telus has already recognized through several different relationships across Canada the importance of quantum networks.

Photonics’ collaboration with Telus represents the telco’s broader strategy of supporting emerging companies and technologies, Rainer Iraschko, principal technology architect at Telus, said in an interview with EE Times. Although, this is the first time a Canadian startup has been granted access to a major telecom operator’s network for the purpose of developing quantum communication capabilities.

Iraschko said Photonic is a more mature startup, having gone beyond a proof concept with a lab bench demo that can be integrated into a system that fits in a rack. “We’re looking to test it over a real network.”

Telus is not new to quantum computing, either, as the company is already supporting the construction of a quantum testbed in Quebec along with another of Canada’s major telcos, Bell. The long-term plan is to be able to support quantum computing connectivity in its fiber network nationwide, Iraschko said. “We did have spare fiber available, and we were happy to loan it to Photonic for the for this purpose so they can continue the development and testing of their technology.”

Iraschko said the collaboration is two-way in that Telus will be able to gather data on the readiness of its infrastructure to support quantum technology. “We are aware already of some problems.”

One issue is the inability to transmit entangled photons through an Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, which are the most important amplifiers in the context of long-range optical fiber communications.  Solving this challenge will involve some architectural changes for all telecommunications network operators, Iraschko said.

Telus’ long-term vision is being prepared for the coming quantum internet, he said, which means different things to different people. One characteristic is that it leverages the capabilities of quantum technologies to secure data transmission so it cannot be hacked, Iraschko said. “Right now, quantum computers are really what the mainframes were back in the 60s and 50s.”

11/21/2024 |  Elektrik - Elektronik Mühendisliği