# Protocols for Packet Quantum Network Intercommunication

## TL;DR

This paper proposes protocols for packet-based quantum network intercommunication, addressing unique quantum challenges like no-cloning, and introduces a quantum retransmission scheme and a quantum three-way handshake for establishing logical connections.

## Contribution

It introduces novel protocols for quantum internet communication, including a quantum retransmission method and a quantum handshake, adapting classical protocols to quantum constraints.

## Key findings

- Quantum retransmission protocol based on quantum secret sharing
- Quantum three-way handshake protocol for establishing connections
- Discussion of quantum internet protocol challenges and solutions

## Abstract

A quantum network, which involves multiple parties pinging each other with quantum messages, could revolutionize communication, computing and basic sciences. The future internet will be a global system of various packet switching quantum and classical networks and we call it \emph{quantum internet}. To build a quantum internet, unified protocols that support the distribution of quantum messages within it are necessary. Intuitively one would extend classical internet protocols to handle quantum messages. However, classical network mechanisms, especially those related to error control and reliable connection, implicitly assume that information can be duplicated, which is not true in the quantum world due to the no-cloning theorem and monogamy of entanglement. In this paper, we investigate and propose protocols for packet quantum network intercommunication. To handle the packet loss problem in transport, we propose a quantum retransmission protocol based on the recursive use of a quantum secret sharing scheme. Other internet protocols are also discussed. In particular, the creation of logical process-to-process connections is accomplished by a quantum version of the three-way handshake protocol.