Quantum networks descend from the study of Quantum cryptography

Quantum cryptography

Quantum key distribution uses quantum mechanics to guarantee secure communication. It enables two parties to produce a shared random secret key known only to them, which can then be used to encrypt and decrypt messages...

. The idea of a quantum network emerged after successful experiments on quantum teleportation

Quantum teleportation

Quantum teleportation, or entanglement-assisted teleportation, is a process by which a qubit can be transmitted exactly from one location to another, without the qubit being transmitted through the intervening space...

. When two companies (one from Switzerland, 'idQuantique', and another from the USA, 'MagiQTech') released practical communication devices based upon the rules of quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...

, the need for a secure network capable of utilizing quantum principles was realized. These networks are now known as quantum communication networks. In these networks, data are communicated as quantum states through the technique of entanglement

Quantum entanglement

Quantum entanglement occurs when electrons, molecules even as large as "buckyballs", photons, etc., interact physically and then become separated; the type of interaction is such that each resulting member of a pair is properly described by the same quantum mechanical description , which is...

 via an optical fiber link.

History of Development

Date	Developments	Notes
Oct 23rd 2003	DARPA Quantum Network becomes fully operational	The world’s first quantum encrypted functional network becomes fully operational in BBN Labs
June 2004	DARPA Quantum Network is linked between campuses	Dark fibre routed beneath the streets of Cambridge, Massachusetts - used to link Harvard University with the BBN Technologies campus, allowing non-stop quantum cryptography 24/7
Dec 2004	Quantum Network consists of 6 nodes	...
June 2005	DARPA Quantum Network expands to incorporate first free-space link	Allowing quantum keys and communications to be transmitted securely through the air

See also

Quantum Mechanics

Quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...

Quantum Computer

Quantum computer

A quantum computer is a device for computation that makes direct use of quantum mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations on data. Quantum computers are different from traditional computers based on transistors...

Quantum bus

Quantum bus

A quantum bus is a device which can be used to store or transfer information between independent qubits in a quantum computer, or combine two qubits into a superposition. The concept was first demonstrated by researchers at Yale University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology in...

Chemical computer

Chemical computer

A chemical computer, also called reaction-diffusion computer, BZ computer or gooware computer is an unconventional computer based on a semi-solid chemical "soup" where data is represented by varying concentrations of chemicals. The computations are performed by naturally occurring chemical...

DNA computer

Molecular computer

Quantum Internet

Sources

(1)http://itvibe.com/news/2583/

(2)http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2125164/first-quantum-computer-network-goes-online

(3)http://www.bbn.com/news_and_events/press_releases/2005_press_releases/05_06_01

(4)http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004quant.ph.12029E