Communications of the ACM
New DOE Blueprint to Pave the Way for a Nationwide Quantum Internet
The U.S. Department of Energy has released a report that lays out a blueprint strategy to accelerate research in quantum science and technology.
Credit: agsandrew/Shutterstock
As modern computers begin to reach the limit of their processing power, quantum computing has the potential to solve more specialized problems that require immensely robust computing. With that potential capturing the imagination of many, a consensus is building that a communication system using quantum mechanics represents one of the most important technological frontiers of the 21st century. To harness the full promise of quantum computing and sensing, we need to build scalable quantum communication networks that can support applications across science, industry, and national security. Scientists now believe that the construction of a prototype "quantum Internet" will be within reach over the next decade.
Toward this end, on July 23 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) unveiled a report that lays out a blueprint strategy to accelerate research in quantum science and technology, with an emphasis on the creation of a quantum Internet. "The Department of Energy is proud to play an instrumental role in the development of the national quantum Internet," U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette said in a news release. "By constructing this new and emerging technology, the United States continues with its commitment to maintaining and expanding our quantum capabilities."
In support of this and related efforts, the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) – a DOE Office of Science user facility managed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – is actively tracking multiple quantum networking projects and collaborating with the research community to help lay the groundwork for scalable quantum communication networks and a quantum Internet. In this interview with ESnet Director Inder Monga, he talks about the future of quantum networking and its role in facilitating quantum information science across the DOE and beyond.
From ESnet
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