Grant: Canada Research Chairs

The Quantum Internet (QI) is a future network that connects quantum devices and runs alongside the conventional internet. These devices range from full-scale quantum computers to relatively simple quantum devices that can only send or receive quantum data. Much like the conventional internet, developing the QI requires progress both in hardware (devices) and software (applications). This proposal focuses on the software aspects of quantum communication, while aiming to bridge the gap between hardware and software by developing technologies that adapt to existing or near-term hardware. Due to unique quantum phenomena, the landscape for the QI is very different than for the conventional internet. This is especially true for aspects related to cybersecurity, e.g., for secure communications and computations. One of the most puzzling and powerful properties of quantum information is the no-cloning principle, according to which it is not possible to copy an unknown quantum state. This principle is a complete departure from the classical realm, and it leads to amazing feats of the QI, including quantum money and quantum key distribution (QKD); the former uses the no-cloning principle to create a quantum digital currency that is physically unforgeable, while the later is a groundbreaking technology that uses quantum information to expand private shared keys, thus enabling perfectly secure communications — a functionality that is impossible with classical information alone. Dr. Broadbent’s research program aims to create innovative and disruptive software technologies in cybersecurity for the QI that will benefit Canadians. Three pillars support this program. The first pillar to develop protocols for the QI by providing solid theoretical foundations, including theoretical tools and techniques to expand the understanding of the QI. The second pillar is to explore novel QI applications while improving existing ones. The third pillar is to advance the technology readiness of these protocols and applications by accounting for the imperfections in QI hardware, such as noise and qubit limitations, leading to quantum cloud and photonic demonstrations.