Quantum

At Smart Internet Lab, we’re developing advanced quantum technologies that will become accessible and beneficial to people and society.

Our research spans:

• Quantum networking across all scales – from quantum key distribution and entanglement distribution over access networks (free-space and fibre, from a few metres to 1 km), to metropolitan networks (a few to tens of kilometres), national networks (tens to hundreds of kilometres), and eventually international links.
• Advanced control frameworks for the quantum internet – designing new control mechanisms to switch and manipulate photons using advanced quantum networking hardware, enabling ultra-low-latency, scalable control and supporting next-generation quantum protocols.
• Convergence of future quantum and telecom networks – developing quantum networking technologies that are compatible with the future communication infrastructure, enabling synergy across the physical, access-control, and application layers.

These activities ensure that our quantum research stays integrated with advances in optical and network engineering, enabling seamless interaction between classical and quantum systems and supporting full-stack quantum networks.

Supporting the UK quantum network

Integrated Quantum Networks Hub

We're laying the foundations for the UK to build the world's most advanced quantum network at scale. The EPSRC national research programme, the Integrated Quantum Networks Hub, brings together national expertise to create large-scale quantum networks. These networks focus on distributing entanglement over various distances, supporting distributed quantum computing and sensing, developing components for quantum networks, and enabling advanced quantum networking protocols.

Within this programme, we are developing a new quantum switch prototype supporting entanglement switching, interconnecting independent quantum networks and enabling AI-driven control for quantum-classical co-existence networks. Building on advances from the Quantum Communications Hub, we are further enhancing the UK quantum network between Bristol and Cambridge by providing permanent entanglement distribution capabilities.

DyMEND (Dynamic Metropolitan-Scale Entanglement Distribution Networking and Beyond)

The DyMEND project boosts collaboration between the UK (University of Bristol) and Canada (University of Toronto), supported by the International Science Partnerships Fund via STFC.

DyMEND aims to develop robust, scalable, and dynamically switchable entanglement-based networks operating over real-world deployed fibre infrastructure. Key innovations include engineering a bright entangled-photon source, developing a quantum-ROADM for multi-band dynamic entanglement distribution over multi-core fibre, and creating entanglement-swapping networks.

Allegro

Through the EU-funded Allegro project, we push further into practical deployable quantum networking solutions. Based on the monitoring platform, the advanced algorithms and machine learning models will predict the performance of quantum communication channels and optimise their performance in real-time according to the changing conditions of the networks. This moves us closer to a self-optimised quantum network using the current optical networking infrastructure.

Velox-QP

In the Velox-QP project, we are developing ultra-fast FPGA-based control frameworks for active-feedforward operations. This enables the switching of one photon of a pair based on detection of its partner. Through this, we will realise time-multiplexing-based photons fusion – an efficient and promising route to scale the fusion-based photonics quantum computing.

EPSRC National Dark Fibre Facility (NDFF)

The NDFF project provides dedicated optical fibre links for research. Our unique combination of quantum communication networks expertise and experimental infrastructure allows us to test new concepts and ideas in practical conditions and accelerate the development of future quantum networks.

Driving the future of quantum networks

Together, all these initiatives are driving the development of deployable quantum networking technologies. At Smart Internet Lab, our mission is to engineer the practical, high-speed and robust quantum networking infrastructure of the future.