Quantum wrapper networking

1 . A method for transporting quantum datagrams over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, at a network node, a quantum datagram comprising a wrapper and an optical quantum data payload, wherein the wrapper comprises a header with classical non-quantum optical bits and the quantum data payload comprises quantum bits (qubits), and wherein the quantum data payload is positioned, in time, after the header such that the network node receives or obtains the header prior to receiving or obtaining the quantum data payload;

separating the header of the wrapper from the quantum data payload and sending the classical non-quantum optical bits included in the header of the wrapper to a processor for processing;

after the classical non-quantum optical bits included in the header of the wrapper have been sent to the processor for processing, receiving the quantum data payload in an optical delay line and propagating the quantum data payload in the optical delay line such that the qubits included in the quantum data payload remain undisturbed by processing of the classical non-quantum optical bits included in the header of the wrapper; and

making a forwarding decision for the quantum datagram based on the processed wrapper.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wrapper further comprises a tail, and wherein the quantum data payload is positioned, in time, between the header and the tail.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wrapper comprises one or more of:

an identifier of a circuit for circuit-switching of the quantum datagram;

a label for label-switching of the quantum datagram; and

destination and source addresses for the quantum datagram.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wrapper indicates one or more of:

length of the quantum data payload;

priority of the quantum data payload;

quality of service (QoS) of the quantum data payload;

type of service (ToS) of the quantum data payload;

entanglement information associated with the quantum data payload and quantum data payloads of other quantum datagrams; and

additional bits for error estimation.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the qubits comprise one or more of:

time-bin encoded photons;

frequency-bin encoded photons; and

polarization-encoded photons.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the wrapper from the quantum data payload comprises sending the quantum data payload to a first switch, and wherein the method further comprises, subsequent to processing the wrapper, combining the wrapper with the quantum data payload using a second switch.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a new wrapper; and

attaching the new wrapper to the quantum data payload prior to forwarding the quantum datagram.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

subsequent to separating the wrapper from the quantum data payload, sending the quantum data payload to a signal enhancing system for improving signal quality of the quantum data payload, wherein the signal enhancing system comprises one or more of: a quantum repeater and a quantum memory.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring signal quality of the wrapper;

statistically estimating signal quality of the quantum data payload based on the signal quality of the wrapper; and

applying corrective transformations to restore the signal quality of the quantum data payload without measuring the qubits.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein monitoring the signal quality of the wrapper comprises one or more of:

performing a bit-error-rate (BER) measurement;

performing an optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) measurement;

performing an optical spectrum measurement;

performing a polarization dependent loss (PDL) measurement;

performing a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) measurement; performing a time jitter measurement; and

performing a checksum test.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising implementing a software defined networking (SDN) protocol to achieve network control and management.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the network co-exists with one or more classical networks comprising:

an Ethernet network;

a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network;

an optical transport network (OTN);

an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network; and

an Internet protocol (IP) network.

13 . A system for transporting quantum datagrams over a network, the system comprising:

an ingress switch to separate a wrapper from an optical quantum data payload included in a received quantum datagram, wherein the wrapper comprises a header with classical non-quantum optical bits and the quantum data payload comprises quantum bits (qubits), wherein the quantum data payload is positioned, in time, after the header such that the ingress switch receives the header prior to receiving the quantum data payload;

a wrapper-processor to process the classical non-quantum optical bits included in at least the header of the wrapper, wherein the ingress switch is configured to send the classical non-quantum optical bits included in the header of the wrapper to the wrapper-processor after separating the wrapper from the optical quantum data payload;

an optical delay line to, after the classical non-quantum optical bits included in the header of the wrapper have been sent to the wrapper-processor for processing, receive the quantum data payload and propagate the quantum data payload while the classical non-quantum optical bits included in the wrapper are processed; and

a controller to make a forwarding decision for the quantum datagram based on the processed wrapper.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the wrapper further comprises a tail, and wherein the quantum data payload is positioned, in time, between the header and the tail.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the wrapper comprises one or more of:

an identifier of a circuit for circuit-switching of the quantum datagram;

a label for label-switching of the quantum datagram; and

destination and source addresses for the quantum datagram.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the wrapper indicates one or more of:

length of the quantum data payload;

priority of the quantum data payload;

quality of service (QoS) of the quantum data payload;

type of service (ToS) of the quantum data payload;

entanglement information associated with the quantum data payload and

quantum data payloads of other quantum datagrams; and

additional bits for error estimation.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the qubits comprise:

time-bin encoded photons;

frequency-bin encoded photons; and

polarization-encoded photons.

18 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising an egress switch to combine the wrapper with the quantum data payload subsequent to the wrapper being processed.

19 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a wrapper-swapping module configured to:

generate a new wrapper; and

attach the new wrapper to the quantum data payload prior to forwarding the quantum datagram.

20 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a signal enhancing system to improve signal quality of the quantum data payload, wherein the signal enhancing system comprises one or more of: a quantum repeater and a quantum memory.

21 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a performance-monitoring module configured to:

monitor signal quality of the wrapper;

statistically estimate signal quality of the quantum data payload based on the signal quality of the wrapper; and

apply corrective transformations to restore the signal quality of the quantum data payload without measuring the qubits.

22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein monitoring the signal quality of the wrapper comprises one or more of:

performing a bit-error-rate (BER) measurement;

performing an optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) measurement;

performing an optical spectrum measurement;

performing a polarization dependent loss (PDL) measurement;

performing a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) measurement; performing a time jitter measurement; and

performing a checksum test.

23 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a software defined networking (SDN) module for achieving network control and management.

24 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the network co-exists with one or more classical networks comprising:

an Ethernet network;

a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network;

an optical transport network (OTN);

an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network; and

an Internet protocol (IP) network.

25 . A quantum network, comprising:

a plurality of network nodes, wherein a respective node comprises:

an ingress switch to separate a wrapper from an optical quantum data payload included in a received quantum datagram, wherein the wrapper comprises a header with classical non-quantum optical bits and the quantum data payload comprises quantum bits (qubits), wherein the quantum data payload is positioned, in time, after the header such that the ingress switch receives the header prior to receiving the quantum data payload;

a wrapper-processor to process the classical non-quantum optical bits included in at least the header of the wrapper, wherein the ingress switch is configured to send the classical non-quantum optical bits included in the header of the wrapper to the wrapper-processor after separating the wrapper from the optical quantum data payload;

an optical delay line to, after the classical non-quantum optical bits included in the header of the wrapper have been sent to the wrapper-processor for processing, receive the quantum data payload and propagate the quantum data payload while the classical non-quantum optical bits included in the wrapper are processed; and

a controller to make a forwarding decision for the quantum datagram based on the processed wrapper.

26 . A method for transporting quantum datagrams over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining, at a network node, a quantum datagram comprising a wrapper and an optical quantum data payload, wherein the wrapper comprises classical non-quantum optical bits and the quantum data payload comprises quantum bits (qubits);

separating the wrapper from the quantum data payload such that the classical bits included in the wrapper are processed while the qubits included in the quantum data payload remain undisturbed;

making a forwarding decision for the quantum datagram based on the processed wrapper;

monitoring signal quality of the wrapper;

statistically estimating signal quality of the quantum data payload based on the signal quality of the wrapper; and

applying corrective transformations to restore the signal quality of the quantum data payload without measuring the qubits.

27 . A system for transporting quantum datagrams over a network, the system comprising:

an ingress switch to separate a wrapper from an optical quantum data payload included in a received quantum datagram, wherein the wrapper comprises classical non-quantum optical bits and the quantum data payload comprises quantum bits (qubits);

a wrapper-processor to process the classical bits included in the wrapper;

an optical delay line to propagate the quantum data payload while the classical bits included in the wrapper are processed;

a controller to make a forwarding decision for the quantum datagram based on the processed wrapper; and

a performance-monitoring module configured to:

monitor signal quality of the wrapper;

statistically estimate signal quality of the quantum data payload based on the signal quality of the wrapper; and

apply corrective transformations to restore the signal quality of the quantum data payload without measuring the qubits.