Optimal approach to quantum communication using dynamic programming

TL;DR

This paper introduces a dynamic programming-based method to optimize quantum repeater protocols, significantly improving the efficiency and fidelity of long-distance entanglement distribution in quantum communication.

Contribution

It presents a systematic optimization approach for quantum repeater protocols using dynamic programming, enabling near-optimal solutions with polynomial complexity.

Findings

Enhanced speed of entanglement preparation

Higher fidelity of long-distance entangled states

Efficient protocol optimization for quantum communication

Abstract

Reliable preparation of entanglement between distant systems is an outstanding problem in quantum information science and quantum communication. In practice, this has to be accomplished via noisy channels (such as optical fibers) that generally result in exponential attenuation of quantum signals at large distances. A special class of quantum error correction protocols--quantum repeater protocols--can be used to overcome such losses. In this work, we introduce a method for systematically optimizing existing protocols and developing new, more efficient protocols. Our approach makes use of a dynamic programming-based searching algorithm, the complexity of which scales only polynomially with the communication distance, letting us efficiently determine near-optimal solutions. We find significant improvements in both the speed and the final state fidelity for preparing long distance entangled states.