Next Gen Tech Fund Research Contract for Platform Independent Studies on Optimising Quantum Repeater Architectures

Contemporary classical cryptography is vulnerable to undetectable passive eavesdropping and possible unauthorised decryption. Quantum networks allow for any eavesdropping attempt to be detected and even tolerated without compromising data security. However, the maximum distance between current point-to-point quantum networks are limited to around 200 kilometres. To extend this distance, it will be necessary to incorporate a quantum repeater in the network.This Project will perform a feasibility study on the practicalities of implementing a quantum repeater. It will give a concise summary of the various quantum repeater proposals and perform a detailed analysis on the viability of the most suitable quantum repeater architecture. It will further investigate the resources needed and technical challenges involved in realising a field demonstration of a quantum repeater with current technologies. It will provide a time-line on the work needed to achieve such a realisation