Sequential Entanglement-Swapping assisted by Quantum Protocol over Ethernet Networks

TL;DR

This work addresses the challenge of deploying quantum networking within Ethernet LANs by proposing a Quantum Protocol over Ethernet (QPoE) framework that coalesces classical Ethernet control with quantum transmission. It introduces a dual-topology architecture and a suite of protocols—Quantum-Spanning Tree Protocol (Q-STP), Discovery Protocol, and Path Establishment Protocol—to create a virtual circuit and perform end-to-end entanglement via sequential swapping across intermediate switches. A handshake-first strategy ensures quantum transmissions occur only after successful classical negotiation, enabling lower time-delay and improved robustness against decoherence, with time kept within the qubit decoherence window $T_{\text{dec}}$. The results indicate practical LAN-scale deployment potential, enabling distributed quantum processing, secure key generation, and sensing, and laying groundwork for a scalable quantum internet.

Abstract

The integration of quantum communication protocols over Ethernet networks is proposed, showing the potential of combining classical and quantum technologies for efficient, scalable quantum networking. By leveraging the inherent strengths of Ethernet, such as addressing, MAC layer functionality, and scalability; we propose a practical framework to support the rigorous requirements of quantum communication. Some novel protocols given in this study enable reliable end-to-end quantum entanglement over Ethernet, ensuring the adaptability needed for implementing a stable quantum internet. Detailed time-delay analyses confirm that our protocols offer superior performance compared to existing methods, with total time delay kept within the decoherence threshold of qubits. These results suggest that our approach is well-suited for deployment in realistic environments, meeting both the immediate needs of quantum networking and laying the groundwork for future advances in data exchange and quantum computational capabilities.

Figures (8)

• Figure 1: Illustrative example of the proposed wired or wireless quantum network coexisting with the traditional Ethernet network, built by $U_{t}=4$ devices and $S_{t}=4$ switches. The MAC table of the switch $\#1$ shows that both the classical Ethernet port (eth) and the new quantum port (qeth) are accounted for addressing.
• Figure 2: Proposed transmission mode for managing a quantum packet transmission based on performing a handshake in the classical channel, and its comparison to the reference case.
• Figure 3: Example of the execution of the Path Establishment Protocol between Alice and Bob via two switches.
• Figure 4: Illustrative example of the proposed sequential entanglement-swapping in a distributed network.
• Figure 5: Illustrative example of the proposed swapping protocol by jointly using the classical and quantum links.