Quantum Clock Synchronization Networks: A Survey
Uman Khalid, Muhammad Shohibul Ulum, Mujirin, Giuseppe Thadeu Freitas de Abreu, Emil Bj\"ornson, Hyundong Shin

TL;DR
This survey reviews the principles, protocols, resources, and challenges of quantum clock synchronization, highlighting its potential to surpass classical limits and support secure, high-precision timekeeping in quantum networks.
Contribution
It provides a comprehensive, unified overview of QCS fundamentals, protocol classifications, quantum resources, and practical implementation issues, clarifying relationships and advantages over classical methods.
Findings
QCS protocols can outperform classical synchronization in precision.
Various quantum resources enable scalable and robust QCS implementations.
The survey categorizes QCS protocols and discusses security and performance constraints.
Abstract
Quantum clock synchronization (QCS) aims to establish a shared temporal reference between distant nodes by exploiting uniquely quantum phenomena such as entanglement, single-photon interference, and quantum correlations. In contrast to classical synchronization and time-transfer techniques, which are limited by signal propagation delays, atmospheric disturbances, and oscillator drift, QCS protocols offer the potential to surpass classical precision bounds and enhance resilience against adversarial manipulations. As precise and secure time synchronization underpins distributed quantum networks, navigation systems, and emerging quantum Internet infrastructures, understanding QCS principles, capabilities, and implementation challenges has become increasingly important. This survey provides a unified and critical overview of the rapidly growing QCS research landscape, highlighting…
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