Path-Oblivious Entanglement Swapping for the Quantum Internet

2025-09-17

AI Summary

Existing quantum internet architectures rely on pre-planned paths for Bell-pair swapping to mitigate the high cost and fragility of quantum states; however, as quantum memory coherence times improve and network scalability increases, this static routing paradigm becomes suboptimal. Method: We propose the first path-oblivious entanglement swapping protocol, decoupling Bell-state distribution from fixed routing and enabling dynamic, robust entanglement delivery. Our approach formulates a linear programming–based network resource optimization model that jointly captures entanglement generation, storage, and swapping operations, augmented with a dynamic load-balancing strategy for real-time Bell-pair redistribution. Contribution/Results: Experiments in fully provisioned networks demonstrate significant improvements in resource utilization and end-to-end Bell-pair delivery success rates. This work establishes a new paradigm for quantum networking—transitioning toward classical-like flexible, adaptive routing—while preserving quantum fidelity and operational efficiency.

Technology Category

• Machine Learning: Quantum Machine Learning
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Routing
• Search and Optimization: Mixed Discrete/Continuous Search

Application Category

• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Efficient manipulation of static and dynamic Web-related graphs
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Virtualization and resource management in Web systems and infrastructures

Abstract

Proposed Bell pair swapping protocols, an essential component of the Quantum Internet, are planned-path: specific, structured, routing paths are reserved prior to the execution of the swapping process. This makes sense when one assumes the state used in the swapping process is expensive, fragile, and unstable. However, lessons from classical networking have shown that while reservations seem promising in concept, flexible, reservation-light or free approaches often outperform their more restrictive counterparts in well-provisioned networks. In this paper, we propose that a path-oblivious approach is more amenable to supporting swapping as quantum state evolves into a cheaper, more robust form. We formulate the swapping process as a linear program and present and evaluate a fairly naive baseline swapping protocol that tries to balance Bell pairs throughout the network. Preliminary results show that while naive balancing leaves room for improvement, investigating path-oblivious swapping is a promising direction.

Problem

• Proposes path-oblivious entanglement swapping for quantum networks
• Challenges planned-path Bell pair swapping protocols' limitations
• Seeks flexible swapping approaches for robust quantum states

Innovation

• Path-oblivious entanglement swapping protocol
• Linear programming formulation for swapping
• Bell pair balancing baseline approach