Recap: What is Entanglement as a Service?
Entanglement as a Service (EaaS) can be likened to packet switching on classical networks—it’s the fundamental piece for this next big bang moment in computing. Quantum networks will unlock applications ranging from ultra secure communication to High Performance Computing (HPC). EaaS is at the core of all of this. EaaS connects users of quantum networks with entangled qubits across long distances using networks of quantum repeaters.
While EaaS relies on a simple concept, it can be difficult to grasp because it does not have a clear analogy to today’s world. To understand EaaS better, let’s first look at another kind of network—the internet. We all know the applications of the internet, but we don’t always think of the service that the internet provides. Behind every application is the same simple service.
Take, for example, an email newsletter you receive in your inbox each month. Imagine what would need to happen to deliver that newsletter without the help of the internet. Maybe the author could have written the newsletter on paper, placed in an envelope addressed to you, and sent it in the mail through the post office. In this case, the post office is providing a service by transporting the letter. With the advent of the internet, we now have a much more efficient way of achieving the same service. Today, you can easily send information—like email newsletters—around the globe almost instantaneously.
The basic service of the internet is simply transporting data from point A to point B. Since the internet communicates between computers, it transfers data in the form that computers know—bits. The internet breaks messages of bits down into packets. Packet switching allows the internet to support the massive amount of data processed on it today.
So will the quantum internet simply transfer quantum bits, or qubits? It turns out, there is a more fundamental service that quantum networks can provide that does not have an equivalent on the classical internet, or the post office for that matter.
Recap: What is quantum entanglement?
Quantum entanglement is a property of quantum systems—like individual photons—that is used by quantum computers and, as we’ll see, quantum networks. When two qubits interact, they can become dependent on each other. We call this dependence entanglement. For example, two qubits could be entangled in a way such that measuring one determines the result of the other. More formally, the qubits can show correlations that are not possible classically.
It turns out that these correlations are very powerful. For one, we can use entanglement for basic communication, such as transporting qubits using teleportation. More importantly, entanglement can enable new applications not possible on today’s internet. Using entanglement, quantum networks can provide secure communication where information is transmitted using entangled qubits without ever needing to transmit data through a potentially risky network. In addition, entanglement can enable the construction of much larger quantum computers through distributed quantum computing.
How will EaaS help?
Entanglement as a Service (EaaS) will help businesses in a variety of industries—from energy to finance to telecom and more. EaaS is a fundamental change in computing and communication that will enable new applications not possible on today’s networks. While we are in the early days of quantum networks, Aliro and others are already building the foundation to apply EaaS to today’s problems. Reach out to learn more about how EaaS can be applied to your problems, whether you are working on traditional telecommunications, research on quantum networks, or in need of ultra secure communication. Or, sign up for our newsletter to stay in the lop on developments in quantum networking as they come.
