Rate-Fidelity Tradeoffs in All-Photonic and Memory-Equipped Quantum Switches

2026-03-03

AI Summary

This work addresses the trade-off in entanglement distribution efficiency between all-photonic and quantum-memory-equipped architectures in near-term quantum networks. The authors propose a unified hardware abstraction model and a benchmarking framework to systematically compare the rate–fidelity performance frontiers of both switch types under varying hardware parameters and protocol strategies. By integrating Bell-state measurements, quantum memory buffering, and a “herald-then-swap” control mechanism, the study quantifies the operational regimes where each architecture excels. The results delineate distinct performance advantage regions for the two approaches, offering actionable guidance on tunable parameters and architectural selection tailored to specific application requirements in quantum network design.

Technology Category

• Machine Learning: Quantum Machine Learning
• Search and Optimization: Distributed Search
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Agent Architectures

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web performance, measurement, and characterization
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems
• Social Networks and Social Media: Social media analysis through the lenses of networks

Abstract

Quantum entanglement switches are a key building block for early quantum networks, and a central design question is whether near-term devices should use only flying photons or also incorporate quantum memories. We compare two architectures: an all-photonic entanglement generation switch (EGS) that repeatedly attempts Bell-state measurements (BSM) without storing qubits, and a quantum memory-equipped switch that buffers entanglement and triggers measurements only when heralded connectivity is available (herald-then-swap control). These two designs trade off simple, memoryless operation that avoids decoherence and memory-induced latency against heralding-based control that buffers entanglement to use BSMs more efficiently. We formalize both models under a common hardware abstraction and characterize their achievable rate-fidelity regions, yielding a benchmarking methodology that translates hardware and protocol parameters into network-level performance. Numerical evaluation quantifies the rate-fidelity tradeoffs of both models, identifies operating regions in which each architecture dominates, and shows how hardware and protocol knobs can be tuned to meet application-specific targets.

Problem

• quantum switch
• rate-fidelity tradeoff
• quantum memory
• entanglement generation
• Bell-state measurement

Innovation

• rate-fidelity tradeoff
• quantum switch
• quantum memory
• herald-then-swap
• entanglement generation