Infleqtion and Cisco Partner to Develop Quantum Network Architecture

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 10, Infleqtion and Cisco announced a joint research and development collaboration focused on connecting neutral-atom quantum computers, quantum sensors, and quantum network infrastructure. The two parties will focus on how to connect standalone quantum devices into distributed systems and explore the communication architectures required for quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum networking to operate in concert. This collaboration is at the joint R&D stage, and the two parties have not yet announced a commercial deployment timeline, project investment amount, or the first actual network node.

Under the division of responsibilities, Infleqtion will provide neutral-atom quantum computing and sensing platforms, as well as device-side quantum memory and optical interfaces; Cisco will provide the quantum network architecture and end-to-end networking technologies developed by Cisco Quantum Labs. The two parties plan to study how to connect neutral-atom quantum processors, quantum memories, and sensing devices through photonic channels, enabling the transmission and scheduling of quantum information between different quantum nodes.

The joint R&D will cover three main directions. First, studying data transmission and task coordination between distributed quantum sensors and computing nodes; second, studying how quantum states in neutral-atom quantum memories and quantum processors are converted and connected to optical quantum communication channels; third, developing network-aware quantum software for coordinating computing and sensing tasks across multiple interconnected neutral-atom systems.

Cisco is developing an end-to-end quantum networking stack for on-demand distribution of quantum entanglement between interconnected devices. The related R&D covers connection management between quantum processors, quantum memories, and sensing nodes, as well as network-level scheduling of quantum information. Cisco has previously introduced the Universal Quantum Switch research prototype for routing quantum information between different quantum systems and supporting the connection of heterogeneous quantum devices through conversion mechanisms.

Infleqtion's neutral-atom computing platform uses atoms trapped and controlled by lasers as qubits, and its Sqale system has demonstrated up to 1,600 neutral-atom array sites. The company also develops quantum computing, atomic clocks, RF receivers, and inertial sensing products. This collaboration with Cisco incorporates these computing and sensing platforms into research on a unified quantum network architecture.

In the next phase, the two parties will conduct joint research on quantum memory and optical conversion, heterogeneous quantum node connectivity, and network-aware quantum software. Infleqtion and Cisco also plan to continue showcasing related technology directions at the Quantum World Congress to be held September 23-25 and the Cisco Quantum Summit to be held October 6-7.