Background
In the research consortium “Quantenrepeater.Net” – or QR.N for short – 42 project partners from research and industry are working together to achieve significant advances in the development and implementation of Quantum Networks.
The initiative builds on the joint project “Quantenrepeater.Link” (QR.X), funded by the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR), which laid the nationwide foundations for the development of a Quantum Repeater from August 2021 to December 2024. The newly established project QR.N, launched in January 2025, builds on the insights gained from the previous work in QR.X.
The focus remains on researching this key technology: Quantum Repeaters enable the secure transmission of information over long distances and are therefore essential for the development of Quantum Networks – a central building block for a quantum-secured IT infrastructure. One of QR.N’s main goals is to demonstrate the fundamental functionalities of Quantum Repeaters on test tracks outside of laboratory environments.
A major focus is the demonstration of Quantum Repeater Links with more than two nodes. In addition, the establishment of parallel Quantum Channels using multiplexing technologies is being investigated. To achieve these goals, researchers are developing the basic components for Quantum Repeaters and testing their deployment on testbeds outside of protected lab settings. These tests are crucial for evaluating the technology’s practical applicability and ensuring its scalability.
Through the research and development of Quantum Repeaters, the project partners are laying the foundation for future Quantum Networks. In the long term, these networks could not only enhance the security of critical infrastructures but also enable a wide range of new applications, such as the secure interconnection of Quantum Computers. The basis for this is the distribution of entangled Quantum States over long distances.
In the research consortium “Quantum Repeater.Net” – or QR.N for short – 42 project partners from research and industry are working together to achieve significant advances in the development and implementation of Quantum Networks.
The initiative builds on the joint project “Quantum Repeater.Link” (QR.X), funded by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR), which laid the nationwide foundations for the development of a Quantum Repeater from August 2021 to December 2024. The newly established consortium project QR.N, launched in January 2025, builds on the insights gained from the previous work in QR.X.
The focus remains on researching this key technology: quantum repeaters enable the secure transmission of information over long distances and are therefore essential for the development of Quantum Networks – a central building block for a quantum-secured IT infrastructure. One of QR.N’s main goals is to demonstrate the fundamental functionalities of Quantum Repeaters on test tracks outside of laboratory environments.
A major focus is the demonstration of Quantum Repeater Links with more than two nodes. In addition, the establishment of parallel Quantum Channels using multiplexing technologies is being investigated. To achieve these goals, researchers are developing the basic components for Quantum Repeaters and testing their deployment on real test routes outside of protected laboratory settings. These tests are crucial for evaluating the technology’s practical applicability and ensuring its scalability.
Through the research and development of Quantum Repeaters, the project partners are laying the groundwork for future Quantum Networks. In the long term, these networks could not only enhance the security of critical infrastructures but also enable a wide range of new applications, such as the secure interconnection of Quantum Computers. The basis for this is the distribution of entangled quantum states over long distances.
