Catenaa, Tuesday, December 02, 2025-Researchers at the University of Chicago say a new method for building crystal components could extend quantum communication from a few kilometers to as much as 2,000 km.
The study in Nature Communications used a technique called molecular beam epitaxy to assemble rare earth doped crystals one layer at a time. The approach increased the coherence time of erbium atoms from fractions of a millisecond to more than 10 milliseconds.
Quantum networks depend on entangling atoms through fiber cable. Longer coherence times help quantum computers maintain links over wide areas.
Earlier systems could only send quantum information across short city routes. Tests described in the research suggest future systems could cover areas between Chicago and Salt Lake City.
The same materials have been built before using a melting method at high heat that forms a full crystal later shaped into computer parts. Researchers said the atom by atom method lets them build parts with fewer defects that distort quantum behavior. One sample reached 24 milliseconds of coherence that could, in theory, link computers over 4,000 km.
The next step is to test long distance links in controlled lab conditions. The team plans to run fiber cable between quantum devices in cooling units to simulate wide area networks. The goal is a stable quantum internet that could support computers in many locations.
