Cisco Announces Quantum Network Entanglement Chip

Cisco, known for its significant role in shaping the infrastructure of the internet, has unveiled a groundbreaking research prototype - the Network Entanglement Chip. This chip marks a pivotal step towards enabling quantum networks to scale and connect quantum processors, ushering in a new era of quantum communication and computing.

Developed in collaboration with UC Santa Barbara, the Network Entanglement Chip is designed to generate entangled photons that transcend traditional distance limitations. This innovation holds the promise of revolutionizing the way information is transmitted and processed in quantum systems.

According to information provided on the CISCO website, the entanglement chip boasts several key features that set it apart. It is designed to seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure by operating at standard telecom wavelengths, leveraging the extensive fiber optic networks already in place. Additionally, the chip is engineered for practical deployment, functioning at room temperature as a miniaturized Photonic Integrated Chip (PIC), making it conducive to scalable system implementation.

Moreover, the Network Entanglement Chip is highly energy-efficient, consuming less than 1mW of power while delivering exceptional performance. It is capable of producing 1 million high-fidelity entanglement pairs per output channel, with a remarkable rate of up to 200 million entanglement pairs per second within the chip.

As part of its strategic initiatives, Cisco has not only developed this cutting-edge chip but also inaugurated the Quantum Labs facility in Santa Monica. These endeavors align with two key directions that Cisco is pursuing in the realm of quantum networking. The first direction involves building infrastructure to facilitate the connection of quantum processors on a large scale, enabling distributed quantum computing, quantum sensing, and optimization algorithms with the potential to revolutionize fields such as drug discovery, materials science, and logistics.

On the other hand, Cisco is also focusing on leveraging quantum networking principles to deliver immediate benefits to classical systems. By implementing eavesdropper-proof secure communication, ultra-precise time synchronization, decision signaling, and secure location verification, quantum networking can enhance the security and efficiency of existing classical systems.