For the first time, engineers at Northwestern University have successfully demonstrated quantum teleportation using a fiber optic cable already carrying regular Internet traffic.

This groundbreaking achievement, published in the journal Optica, could simplify the infrastructure needed for quantum computing and advanced technologies, merging them with today’s Internet systems.

“This is incredibly exciting because nobody thought it was possible,” said Prem Kumar, the study’s lead researcher and a professor at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering.

“Our work shows how quantum and classical communications can share the same network, opening the door to the next generation of technology.”

What is Quantum Teleportation?

Quantum teleportation enables ultra-fast and secure information sharing across long distances without physically transmitting the data.

It relies on a phenomenon called quantum entanglement, where two particles become linked, so changes to one particle instantly affect the other, no matter how far apart they are.

In this process, instead of sending the particle carrying information over a network, its quantum state is transferred to another particle far away. This method bypasses the need to physically move data, offering unmatched speed and security.

“Classical communication uses millions of light particles, while quantum communication works with single photons,” explained Jordan Thomas, the study’s first author and a Ph.D. candidate in Kumar’s lab.

“With teleportation, we can share information across great distances without needing the particle itself to travel that distance.”

The Challenge: Navigating Internet Traffic

Until now, researchers were unsure if quantum teleportation could work on fiber optic cables carrying regular Internet traffic.

Delicate photons carrying quantum information could get lost or overwhelmed by the millions of other light particles in the cable—like a bicycle in a crowded tunnel of trucks.

Kumar’s team overcame this by studying how light scatters within fiber optic cables. They identified a less crowded wavelength of light for their photons and added special filters to reduce interference from Internet traffic.

The researchers tested their approach by sending quantum information and high-speed Internet traffic simultaneously through a 30-kilometer fiber optic cable.

They measured the quantum information’s quality at the receiving end and confirmed that teleportation succeeded even with busy Internet traffic.

“This is the first time anyone has demonstrated quantum teleportation under these conditions,” Thomas said. “It’s a big step toward integrating quantum technologies into existing networks.”

The team plans to test quantum teleportation over longer distances and experiment with real-world optical cables buried underground. They also aim to explore “entanglement swapping,” a technique that could enable even more complex quantum networks.

“By using the right wavelengths, we won’t need to build new infrastructure,” Kumar said. “This discovery proves that classical and quantum communications can coexist, bringing us closer to a future of seamless quantum connectivity.”

Source: Northwestern University.