Two years ago, validation tests and specific experiments began for what will be the largest quantum network in Europe, according to its promoters. Now, the so-called MADQuantum-CM project, which kicked off on January 17, 2023 and ends on March 31, 2025, will develop that permanent quantum communications network: MadQCI, located in the Community of Madrid.
The IMDEA Software and IMDEA Networks institutes are participating along with six other partners (National Institute of Aerospace Technology, Spanish Metrology Center, Vithas Foundation, Autonomous University of Madrid, Polytechnic University of Madrid, and Complutense University of Madrid) in this project, funded by the Community of Madrid, the State through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, and the European Union through the NextGeneration EU funds. The goal of the project is the expansion of the MadQCI network.
Quantum communications have the potential to become a paradigm shift in computer networks. In this sense, MadQCI will connect, through a metropolitan deployment of fiber optics, data centers of the universities in the Community of Madrid and the IMDEA Software and IMDEA Networks Institutes.
The network will allow for the permanent hosting of quantum communications equipment, enabling the validation of new key exchange technologies, as well as the development of use cases and innovations that leverage the infrastructure, which will be deployed by REDIMadrid, the advanced data network of the Community of Madrid, managed by IMDEA Software.
“Europe has world leadership in quantum technologies,” says César Sánchez, director of REDIMadrid, senior researcher at the IMDEA Software Institute and principal investigator of IMDEA Software in the project. “Quantum key exchange technology has a very disruptive potential, as it guarantees secure communications between remote centers,” he adds. Sanchez predicts that in the coming years we will see many advances both academically and industrially in this area.
Albert Banchs, deputy director of IMDEA Networks and principal investigator of the project at this institute, explains that “this technology will not only improve the performance and capacity of networks, but will also modify the foundations themselves, completely changing computing platforms.”
Quantum communications will also be beneficial from a social perspective, as they help create highly sensitive data transmission networks based on a process called Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). “This process leverages the laws of quantum physics to protect data,” emphasizes Ignacio Berberana, Senior Research Engineer at IMDEA Networks and participant in the project along with the Edge and Global Computing research groups from the Institute.
Berberana also highlights that “this technology is already used by, for example, financial institutions, but its extension to other areas will require significant innovations. The project will also help foster the development of new local quantum technology companies.”
MADQuantum-CM aims to demonstrate how quantum security solutions can be used transparently throughout the scientific network infrastructure of the Community of Madrid. Among its goals is also to create several testbeds and demonstrations to show how potential stakeholders can use quantum networks and communications.
Two of the areas that will be explored in this project are the application of cryptography and quantum communications to support new networks, such as future 6G networks. Additionally, the project aims to develop an innovation and training ecosystem to help grow quantum communication technology and supply chains of technologies and services in Madrid and Spain (through collaboration with other regional quantum communication projects).
It is expected that the network infrastructure deployed by the project will serve as the basis for a permanent quantum network that will continue to drive innovation beyond its duration. Ultimately, these projects are based on the extensive experience in quantum communications of its participants.
In the case of IMDEA Software, their participation in the European OpenQKD project, which culminated in early 2023, allowed them to build the largest European testbed for quantum communications on the REDIMadrid network, the germ of the current MadQCI network, highlights Sanchez. “In the case of IMDEA Networks, the project is based on the results of the European projects 5G Vinni as well as OpenQKD,” concludes Berberana. Source: Agencia Sinc
Referrer: MiMub in Spanish
