Optical Fibers – The Backbone of Quantum Computing Technology
Optical fibers play a critical role in supporting and developing quantum computing technology as they do in most other high-speed communications systems in use today. With massive amounts of data being generated and transmitted within a quantum computing network, optical fibers enable the high-speed, high-capacity, low-latency communications that this technology requires. While much of this is already known due to its similar advantages for other applications, optical fibers are the most suitable medium for quantum computing technology for several reasons:
High speed and high bandwidth: Optical fiber supports much more data than other media, and for a technology like quantum computing with its heavy data transmission and computing requirements, taking advantage of optical fiber is a necessity. In many cases, the speed capacity and performance are often limited more by the hardware than the fiber itself. For example, it was just reported that researchers at the National Institute of Telecommunications and Information in Japan have achieved a record-breaking 402 terabits per second using commercially available fiber.
Optical fibers offer large amounts of data capacity, especially when taking advantage of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) capabilities, which allow multiple data channels to be transmitted in an optical signal. Additionally, fiber manufacturers such as Sumitomo© are pioneers of multi-core fibers, which offer greater transmission capacity in a single fiber.
Low latency: The amount of data being transferred is one thing, but the rate at which the data can be transferred from point A to point B, or latency, is equally important. Low-latency transmission is crucial to maintaining the coherence of quantum states over long distances.
Optical fibers allow data to be transmitted using light signals, much faster than other technologies, as the transmission time of light in optical fibers is essentially limited by the refractive index values of the glass. In the same spirit as using multi-core fibers to increase data capacity, companies such as OFS© and Microsoft© are developing hollow fibers that allow the light signal to travel through a core with a lower refractive index than glass, thus reducing the transmission time of optical fibers by more than 40% for the benefit of quantum computing and other low-latency communications systems.
Immunity to electromagnetic interference: Finally, optical fibers are not subject to electromagnetic interference, ensuring a stable and reliable data transmission channel for sensitive quantum information.
Ensuring optimal quantitative performance using fiber optic network simulators
For companies that design and manufacture quantum computing equipment, as well as those that integrate and adopt such devices for use in their networks, it is critical to replicate the intended supporting fiber optic communications infrastructure in a test lab prior to deployment. This ensures that all equipment performs as expected; otherwise, significant time, money, and reputation could be lost if a device or system fails to meet technical expectations or achieve intended engineering goals.
Fiber optic network splicing and extension simulators provide several important positive benefits to those testing quantum computing devices and systems from the application and user experience level:
Realistic Test Results: By providing the exact fiber types and lengths that match the user’s specific application needs, fiber optic network simulators accurately simulate the optical characteristics and latency of the range and links. This provides valuable test data for decision-making purposes as well as helping to identify potential performance issues that may need to be addressed before it’s too late. Additionally, fiber optic network simulators that are customized with different fiber types and lengths allow users to create multiple test configurations and scenarios, which is important if quantum computing equipment is to be installed in different network environments.
Technical Performance Validation: By accurately simulating different network fiber scenarios, one can validate the performance of their quantum computing devices and ensure that they meet the required standards and expectations across several technical parameters such as speed, reliability, and data integrity. If the service provider or data center tasked with selecting and installing this equipment in the network skips this important testing phase or misses a key optical performance variable by not using this approach, the risk of negative outcomes increases and can end up being very bad.
Save time and money: Investing in a high-quality fiber network and latency simulation solution allows a company to achieve realistic, consistent test results that can be used repeatedly, scaled to adapt to new or changing needs, and ensure that quantum computing devices perform as intended. Taking this approach results in more efficient testing, better results, and is more cost-effective in the long run than discovering issues after deployment that could have been identified sooner.
Select a custom fiber optic network simulator for your quantum computing project
With a customer-centric approach, specialized manufacturing capabilities, and access to all types of fiber from leading manufacturers, M2 Optics is your preferred partner for building and configuring a Fiber Lab solution that matches your quantum computing testing needs. The M2 team already supports many leading quantum computing, cloud, and data center entities that rely on Fiber Lab solutions for their optical and latency testing operations, and will consult with you to design the most efficient setup for your test lab.
