"Chicago Expands and Activates Quantum Network, Taking Steps Toward a Secure Quantum Internet"
Scientists with the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have announced that they have connected the city of Chicago and suburban labs with a quantum network for the first time, almost doubling the length of what was one of the longest in the US. The Chicago network will be open to academia and industry soon, becoming one of the nation's first publicly available testbeds for quantum security technology. Currently, the network is actively operating quantum security protocols through the use of Toshiba technology, distributing quantum keys over fiber optic cable at a speed of more than 80,000 quantum bits per second between Chicago and the western suburbs. Toshiba's involvement in the initiative elevates the Chicago network to a one-of-a-kind collaboration involving academia, government, and industry. Researchers will use the Chicago network to test new communication devices, security protocols, and algorithms that will eventually connect distant quantum computers throughout the country and the world. The effort is the next step toward a national quantum internet, which will have far-reaching effects on communications, computation, and national security. This article continues to discuss the Chicago quantum network, how it makes an advancement towards a secure national quantum Internet, and how the rise of quantum computers presents a significant opportunity and threat.