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Coming Over the Horizon

Quantum Communication Enters the Mainstream

July 30, 2024

Communication is the connective tissue of society, weaving individuals into groups and communities and mediating the progress and development of culture. The technology of communications evolves continuously, occasionally undergoing paradigm shifts such as those brought about by the Gutenberg press and broadcast television.

From historical examples such as the proliferation of fast merchant trading ships, to the modern telecommunications networks spread across the world via a web of cables buried under the sea floor and satellites thousands of kilometres high, the need for better communication infrastructure has driven some of our most ambitious technologies to date.聽

Today, emerging quantum technologies are poised to revolutionise the field of communication once again. They promise new and incredibly valuable opportunities for dependable and secure communications between people, communities, companies, and governments everywhere. Our ability to understand and control quantum systems has opened a new world of exciting possibilities. Soon we might build long-distance quantum communication links and networks, eventually leading to what is known as the quantum internet.聽

While some embryonic quantum communication systems are already in place, realisation of their full potential will require significant technological advances. With engineering teams around the world working at pace to deliver this promise across industrial sectors, the need to invest in expert knowledge is rising.聽

NASA has been a pioneer in space-based communication over many decades, and more recently has emerged as a leader in space-based quantum communication, dedicating new resources for scientists, engineers and communication systems experts to learn about the field.

Recently, NASA鈥檚 Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program commissioned a booklet titled , authored by several of our team at 夜色直播. This will be a go-to resource for the global community of scientists and experts that NASA supports, but importantly it has been written so that it requires almost no prior technical knowledge while providing a rigorous account of the emerging field of quantum communications.

What follows is a taster of what鈥檚 in Quantum Communication 101.

What is quantum communication?

For the words I am typing now to reach your computer screen, I need to rely on modern communication networks. My laptop memory, Wi-Fi router and communication channels rely on the physics of things like transistors, currents, and radio waves which obey the more familiar, 鈥渃lassical" laws of physics.聽

The field of quantum communication, however, relies on the counterintuitive rules of quantum physics. Thanks to incredible feats of engineering, in place of continuous beams of light from diodes, we can now control individual photons to send and receive quantum information. By taking advantage of the peculiar quantum phenomena that they exhibit, like superposition and entanglement, new possibilities are emerging which were previously unimaginable.聽

Cutting-edge applications聽

In the growing landscape of potential applications in quantum communication, cybersecurity is already deeply rooted. At 夜色直播, for example, quantum computers are used to generate randomness, the fundamental building block of secure encryption. Elsewhere, prototype quantum networks for secure communications already span metropolitan areas.聽

As our techniques in quantum communication advance, we may unlock new possibilities in quantum computing, which promises to solve problems too difficult even for supercomputers, and quantum metrology, which will enable measurements at an unprecedented precision. Quantum states of light have already been used in LIGO - a large-scale experiment operated by CalTech and MIT to detect ripples in the fabric of space-time itself.

Connecting the dots: towards a quantum internet聽

The end goal of quantum communication is what many refer to as the quantum internet, through which we will seamlessly send quantum signals across many quantum networks. This will be an enormous engineering challenge, requiring international collaboration and the evolution of our existing infrastructure.

Although the exact form that this network will take is yet unknown, we can say with confidence that it will need to pass through space. Much like satellites help to globally connect the Internet, the launch of quantum-capable satellites will play a vital role in a global quantum internet.聽

Building a quantum ecosystem

The path to a quantum internet will depend on growing a diverse and expert workforce. This is well understood by bodies such as the National Science Foundation who recently announced a $5.1M Center for Quantum Networks aimed at architecting the quantum internet. Over the last few years, we have seen growing investment worldwide, such as the $1.1B Quantum Technology Flagship in Europe and the $11B Chinese National Laboratory for Quantum Information Science. Important industrial investments are being made by large corporations such as IBM, Google, Intel, Honeywell, Cisco, Amazon, and Microsoft.

Amongst this surge in interest, NASA鈥檚 SCaN program has proposed a series of mission concepts for building and testing infrastructure for space-based quantum communication. These include launching satellites capable of sending and receiving quantum signals between ground stations and eventually other satellites.聽These quantum signals may be entangled photons 鈥 a feature that will play an extremely important role in future networks. One such mission concept is shown below, where a quantum-capable satellite with a source of entangled photons connects an intercontinental quantum network.

Figure: NASA鈥檚 SCaN M2.0 mission concept for intercontinental quantum communication [ref booklet and workshop]

The second quantum revolution is at an exciting precipice where our ability to transmit quantum information, both on Earth and in space, will be pivotal. Whilst our evolving quantum technologies already show a great deal of promise, it is perhaps the ground-breaking applications that we are yet to discover which will ultimately determine our success.聽

It is more important than ever that we support education and collaboration in advancing quantum technologies. Quantum Communication 101 aims to be a starting point for a general audience looking to learn about the topic for the first time, as well as those who wish to explore in detail the technologies that will make the first quantum networks a reality.

If you would like to better understand the exciting prospects of quantum communication, you can find the Quantum Communication 101 booklet on the NASA SCaN website.聽

About 夜色直播

夜色直播,聽the world鈥檚 largest integrated quantum company, pioneers powerful quantum computers and advanced software solutions. 夜色直播鈥檚 technology drives breakthroughs in materials discovery, cybersecurity, and next-gen quantum AI. With over 500 employees, including 370+ scientists and engineers, 夜色直播 leads the quantum computing revolution across continents.聽

Blog
April 11, 2025
夜色直播鈥檚 partnership with RIKEN bears fruit

Last year, we joined forces with RIKEN, Japan's largest comprehensive research institution, to install our hardware at RIKEN鈥檚 campus in Wako, Saitama. This deployment is part of RIKEN鈥檚 project to build a quantum-HPC hybrid platform consisting of high-performance computing systems, such as the supercomputer Fugaku and 夜色直播 Systems. 聽

Today, marks the first of many breakthroughs coming from this international supercomputing partnership. The team from RIKEN and 夜色直播 joined up with researchers from Keio University to show that quantum information can be delocalized (scrambled) using a quantum circuit modeled after periodically driven systems. 聽

"Scrambling" of quantum information happens in many quantum systems, from those found in complex materials to black holes. 聽Understanding information scrambling will help researchers better understand things like thermalization and chaos, both of which have wide reaching implications.

To visualize scrambling, imagine a set of particles (say bits in a memory), where one particle holds specific information that you want to know. As time marches on, the quantum information will spread out across the other bits, making it harder and harder to recover the original information from local (few-bit) measurements.

While many classical techniques exist for studying complex scrambling dynamics, quantum computing has been known as a promising tool for these types of studies, due to its inherently quantum nature and ease with implementing quantum elements like entanglement. The joint team proved that to be true with their latest result, which shows that not only can scrambling states be generated on a quantum computer, but that they behave as expected and are ripe for further study.

Thanks to this new understanding, we now know that the preparation, verification, and application of a scrambling state, a key quantum information state, can be consistently realized using currently available quantum computers. Read the paper , and read more about our partnership with RIKEN here. 聽

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Blog
April 4, 2025
Why is everyone suddenly talking about random numbers? We explain.

In our increasingly connected, data-driven world, cybersecurity threats are more frequent and sophisticated than ever. To safeguard modern life, government and business leaders are turning to quantum randomness.

What is quantum randomness, and why should you care?

The term to know: quantum random number generators (QRNGs).

QRNGs exploit quantum mechanics to generate truly random numbers, providing the highest level of cryptographic security. This supports, among many things:

  • Protection of personal data
  • Secure financial transactions
  • Safeguarding of sensitive communications
  • Prevention of unauthorized access to medical records

Quantum technologies, including QRNGs, could protect up to $1 trillion in digital assets annually, according to a recent by the World Economic Forum and Accenture.

Which industries will see the most value from quantum randomness?

The World Economic Forum report identifies five industry groups where QRNGs offer high business value and clear commercialization potential within the next few years. Those include:

  1. Financial services
  2. Information and communication technology
  3. Chemicals and advanced materials
  4. Energy and utilities
  5. Pharmaceuticals and healthcare

In line with these trends, recent by The Quantum Insider projects the quantum security market will grow from approximately $0.7 billion today to $10 billion by 2030.

When will quantum randomness reach commercialization?

Quantum randomness is already being deployed commercially:

  • Early adopters use our Quantum Origin in data centers and smart devices.
  • Amid rising cybersecurity threats, demand is growing in regulated industries and critical infrastructure.

Recognizing the value of QRNGs, the financial services sector is accelerating its path to commercialization.

  • Last year, HSBC conducted a combining Quantum Origin and post-quantum cryptography to future-proof gold tokens against 鈥渟tore now, decrypt-later鈥 (SNDL) threats.
  • And, just last week, JPMorganChase made headlines by using our quantum computer for the first successful demonstration of certified randomness.

On the basis of the latter achievement, we aim to broaden our cybersecurity portfolio with the addition of a certified randomness product in 2025.

How is quantum randomness being regulated?

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines the cryptographic regulations used in the U.S. and other countries.

  • NIST鈥檚 SP 800-90B framework assesses the quality of random number generators.
  • The framework is part of the FIPS 140 standard, which governs cryptographic systems operations.
  • Organizations must comply with FIPS 140 for their cryptographic products to be used in regulated environments.

This week, we announced Quantum Origin received , marking the first software QRNG approved for use in regulated industries.

What does NIST validation mean for our customers?

This means Quantum Origin is now available for high-security cryptographic systems and integrates seamlessly with NIST-approved solutions without requiring recertification.

  • Unlike hardware QRNGs, Quantum Origin requires no network connectivity, making it ideal for air-gapped systems.
  • For federal agencies, it complements our "U.S. Made" designation, easing deployment in critical infrastructure.
  • It adds further value for customers building hardware security modules, firewalls, PKIs, and IoT devices.

The NIST validation, combined with our peer-reviewed papers, further establishes Quantum Origin as the leading QRNG on the market. 聽

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It is paramount for governments, commercial enterprises, and critical infrastructure to stay ahead of evolving cybersecurity threats to maintain societal and economic security.

夜色直播 delivers the highest quality quantum randomness, enabling our customers to confront the most advanced cybersecurity challenges present today.

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March 28, 2025
Being Useful Now 鈥 Quantum Computers and Scientific Discovery

The most common question in the public discourse around quantum computers has been, 鈥淲hen will they be useful?鈥 We have an answer.

Very recently in Nature we a successful demonstration of a quantum computer generating certifiable randomness, a critical underpinning of our modern digital infrastructure. We explained how we will be taking a product to market this year, based on that advance 鈥 one that could only be achieved because we have the world鈥檚 most powerful quantum computer.

Today, we have made another huge leap in a different domain, providing fresh evidence that our quantum computers are the best in the world. In this case, we have shown that our quantum computers can be a useful tool for advancing scientific discovery.

Understanding magnetism

Our latest shows how our quantum computer rivals the best classical approaches in expanding our understanding of magnetism. This provides an entry point that could lead directly to innovations in fields from biochemistry, to defense, to new materials. These are tangible and meaningful advances that will deliver real world impact.

To achieve this, we partnered with researchers from Caltech, Fermioniq, EPFL, and the Technical University of Munich. The team used 夜色直播鈥檚 System Model H2 to simulate quantum magnetism at a scale and level of accuracy that pushes the boundaries of what we know to be possible.

As the authors of the paper state:

鈥淲e believe the quantum data provided by System Model H2 should be regarded as complementary to classical numerical methods, and is arguably the most convincing standard to which they should be compared.鈥

Our computer simulated the quantum Ising model, a model for quantum magnetism that describes a set of magnets (physicists call them 鈥榮pins鈥) on a lattice that can point up or down, and prefer to point the same way as their neighbors. The model is inherently 鈥渜uantum鈥 because the spins can move between up and down configurations by a process known as 鈥渜uantum tunneling鈥. 聽

Gaining material insights

Researchers have struggled to simulate the dynamics of the Ising model at larger scales due to the enormous computational cost of doing so. Nobel laureate physicist Richard Feynman, who is widely considered to be the progenitor of quantum computing, once said, 鈥.鈥 When attempting to simulate quantum systems at comparable scales on classical computers, the computational demands can quickly become overwhelming. It is the inherent 鈥榪uantumness鈥 of these problems that makes them so hard classically, and conversely, so well-suited for quantum computing.

These inherently quantum problems also lie at the heart of many complex and useful material properties. The quantum Ising model is an entry point to confront some of the deepest mysteries in the study of interacting quantum magnets. While rooted in fundamental physics, its relevance extends to wide-ranging commercial and defense applications, including medical test equipment, quantum sensors, and the study of exotic states of matter like superconductivity. 聽

Instead of tailored demonstrations that claim 鈥榪uantum advantage鈥 in contrived scenarios, our breakthroughs announced this week prove that we can tackle complex, meaningful scientific questions difficult for classical methods to address. In the work described in this paper, we have proved that quantum computing could be the gold standard for materials simulations. These developments are critical steps toward realizing the potential of quantum computers.

With only 56 qubits in our commercially available System Model H2, the most powerful quantum system in the world today, we are already testing the limits of classical methods, and in some cases, exceeding them. Later this year, we will introduce our massively more powerful 96-qubit Helios system - breaching the boundaries of what until recently was deemed possible.

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