Researchers at RIT and the University of Rochester successfully build and test an experimental quantum communications network

Rochester, New York – In a major leap forward for the future of secure communication, researchers from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and the University of Rochester have successfully built and tested an experimental quantum communications network connecting their two campuses. The project, dubbed the Rochester Quantum Network or RoQNET, is at the forefront of what scientists hope will become the backbone of next-generation information exchange.

Spanning roughly 11 miles of fiber-optic cables between the two institutions, RoQNET uses single photons—tiny, individual particles of light—to carry information at the speed of light. What makes this achievement remarkable is that it works at room temperature and relies on the same type of optical fiber infrastructure already used in global internet networks.

The details of this pioneering effort were recently published in the journal Optica Quantum, highlighting both the technological foundation and the future implications of the network. Researchers say the ultimate goal is to link RoQNET with other advanced facilities across New York State, including Brookhaven National Laboratory, Stony Brook University, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and New York University.

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At its core, quantum communication is different from traditional forms of digital communication. Instead of bits that are either a 0 or 1, quantum communication uses qubits, which can exist in multiple states at once, allowing for much more complex forms of data encoding and transfer. But the most revolutionary aspect of quantum communication is its potential for unmatched security. Because of the laws of quantum mechanics, any attempt to intercept a quantum message would immediately be detected, making the system practically immune to eavesdropping.

Photons have emerged as the most promising carriers of qubits, especially for long-distance communication. Unlike other types of quantum bits—such as those based on atoms, ions, or superconducting materials—photons can easily travel through existing fiber-optic lines. This makes them particularly well-suited for integrating quantum communication into real-world telecom networks.

“Photons move at the speed of light and their wide range of wavelengths enable communication with different types of qubits,” said Stefan Preble, professor in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering. “Our focus is on distributed quantum entanglement, and RoQNET is a test bed for doing that.”

Entanglement—the mysterious quantum phenomenon Albert Einstein once called “spooky action at a distance”—lies at the heart of this project. When two particles are entangled, the state of one immediately affects the state of the other, even if they’re separated by great distances. RoQNET is designed to harness this principle to connect different types of quantum systems into a single, functional network.

“This is an exciting step creating quantum networks that would protect communications and empower new approaches to distributed computing and imaging,” said Nickolas Vamivakas, the Marie C. Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Optical Physics, who led the University of Rochester’s efforts. “While other groups have developed experimental quantum networks, RoQNET is unique in its use of integrated quantum photonic chips for quantum light generation and solid-state based quantum memory nodes.”

Unlike many existing experimental setups that require bulky and sensitive equipment—often operating only in cryogenic environments—RoQNET aims to miniaturize and stabilize quantum technologies to make them more practical. Much of the work is focused on bringing large-scale, room-temperature quantum networking down to the chip level.

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RIT microsystems engineering Ph.D. student Vijay Sundaram, who earned his master’s in physics from the same institution in 2021, led the research efforts as the paper’s first author. Sundaram’s personal journey into the field began with a single course in quantum theory, but quickly evolved into a passionate career pursuit.

“Quantum particles can be at either end of the universe and they’ll still be completely, perfectly correlated,” said Sundaram. “These experiments have been done using bulk optics and huge telescopes. We’re trying to put all of that onto a single microchip.”

The project brought together a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers from RIT, the University of Rochester, and several partner institutions, including AdvR Inc., the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Their collaborative effort represents one of the most ambitious quantum networking experiments yet attempted in the United States.

Co-authors on the paper include Evan Manfreda-Schulz, Thomas Palone, Venkatesh Deenadayalan, Mario Ciminelli, and Gregory Howland from RIT; Todd Hawthorne, Tony Roberts and Phil Battle from AdvR Inc.; Michael Fanto from the Air Force Research Laboratory; and Gerald Leake and Daniel Coleman from the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute. The research was supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory, reflecting the high level of national interest in secure quantum communication.

As RoQNET continues to expand and improve, the researchers are hopeful that the network will lay the groundwork for more robust quantum communication infrastructure—not just across campuses, but eventually across the nation and beyond. If successful, the implications will ripple through sectors ranging from cybersecurity and telecommunications to computing and even space exploration.

With photons blazing trails between universities, the future of communication might very well be quantum.