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Classical-decisive Quantum Internet by Integrated Photonics

May 20, 2026

Classical and quantum technologies have traditionally been viewed as orthogonal, with classical systems being deterministic and quantum systems inherently probabilistic. This distinction hinders the development of a scalable quantum internet even as the global internet continues expanding. Here, a classical-decisive quantum internet architecture is reported in which the integration of quantum information into advanced photonic technologies enables efficient entanglement distribution over a commercially deployed fiber network. On-chip precise synchronization between classical headers and quantum payloads enables dynamic routing and networking of high-fidelity entanglement guided by classical light. The quantum states are preserved through real-time error mitigation, relying solely on classical signal readout without disturbing quantum information. These classical-decisive features demonstrate a practical path to a scalable quantum internet using existing network infrastructure and operating systems.

Authors

Liang Feng (University of Pennsylvania)

Additional Materials

U.S. National Science Foundation and NSF DMREF, Materials for Our Future

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation Award No. 2015237. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation. This site is maintained collaboratively by principal investigators with NSF DMREF awards, independent of the NSF.