arXiv subjects

Marcello Caleffi

Publications and source records attributed to Marcello Caleffi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Engineering Quantum Links: Noise and Quantum-State-Degradation Metrics over Metropolitan Fiber Network

Deploying quantum networks over existing network infrastructures requires the same engineering foundations that underpin classical communications: quantitative models of the channel's noise and of the impairments it imposes on the transmitted information. In this work, we build such a foundation on experimental measurements, grounding the quantum-network counterparts of the two cornerstone metrics of classical link characterization - namely, the SINR and the BER - on a 7.3 km deployed metropolitan-scale fiber-loop interconnecting two campuses of the University of Naples Federico II within the national QuantumInternet.it testbed. On the noise side, we adopt a photon-counting quantum analog of the SINR - in which dark counts constitute the intrinsic noise and the photons generated by classical traffic (through either spontaneous Raman scattering or inter-fiber crosstalk) constitute the interference - and we quantify each contribution directly on the deployed loop. On the bit-error side, we consider the main degrees-of-freedom available to encode a quantum state within an optical photon - namely, polarization, time, and frequency - and we quantify for each degree the channel-induced degradation and its drift over time. These results show that a quantum fiber link, like its classical counterpart, can be captured by a small set of measurable parameters, turning quantum networking over deployed fiber from a physics demonstration into an engineering design problem. Together, they provide the key ingredients of a quantum link budget for the Quantum Internet.

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arXiv2026

Entanglement Meets Reality: A Network Engineering Assessment and Forecast of Rackable Entanglement Sources

Quantum networks are transitioning from labo- ratory experiments to real-world deployments, with entangle- ment as their fundamental resource. Since an entanglement source effectively defines a quantum network, its performance directly impacts the reliability, scalability, and efficiency of future quantum communications. In this work, we investigate rack-mountable plug-and-play entangled-photon sources from a network engineering perspective, shifting the focus from device characterization to deployment-oriented performance evaluation. Building upon an extensive experimental campaign, we assess commercially deployable hardware across multiple operating conditions, evaluate current state-of-the-art capabilities, and pro- vide an outlook on future generations of entanglement sources. We identify and evaluate two key performance indicators (KPIs): multi-photon generation, capturing deviations from ideal single- pair emission, and entanglement quality, quantified through the reconstructed two-qubit density matrix. By combining the measured detected-pair rate with the one-way hashing bound derived from each density matrix, we estimate a lower bound on the achievable distillable-entanglement generation rate, providing a compact metric that captures the trade-off between pair throughput and entanglement quality. Finally, we translate these experimental results into lower bounds on the quantum-memory coherence time required for entanglement distillation, directly linking optical source performance to the hardware requirements of future quantum repeater nodes.

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arXiv2026

A Dynamic-Kernel/QPacket Executable for Quantum Repeater Chains in Q2NS/ns-3

The Quantum Internet operates on entanglement, a non-local, non-copyable, stateful network resource, which motivates protocol organization beyond classical layering. We present a first executable specialization of the Dynamic Kernel/QPacket logic from the beyond-layering protocol suite, targeting entanglement distribution over a linear quantum repeater chain. The implementation builds on Q2NS, an ns-3-based quantum-network simulation module available through the ns-3 App Store. It realizes QPacket meta-headers with service intent and append-only action-commit stamps processed by node-local Dynamic Kernels organized as a Planner--Executor--Engine pipeline, while being deliberately scoped to an analytically verifiable service and policy. Within this scoped setting, we study node heterogeneity through a link-preparation policy that accounts for pre-distributed entanglement and uneven entanglement-generation support across nodes, including delegation via QPacket forwarding. Simulations verify analytical link-resolvability models and expose signaling load, forwarding behavior, and QPacket meta-header growth. Results show that QPacket overhead is shaped by more than just encoding, including policy choices and available network resources. Overall, this study demonstrates how the Q2NS/ns-3 substrate can support reproducible, policy-specific evaluation of quantum-native protocol-suite concepts.

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arXiv2026

Interconnection of Quantum Networks at Urban scale: Analysis of Temporal Stability of Entangled Photon Sources

Time synchronization is a fundamental requirement in entanglement-based quantum networks, where the indistinguishability of photons in the time domain is essential for enabling Hong-Ou-Mandel interference and entanglement swapping. In addition to precise temporal alignment, it is equally crucial to ensure the stability of the reference clock over time, as even small fluctuations can degrade the overall performance of the network. In this work, we investigate the stability of clock synchronization for entanglement distribution based on entangled-photon sources operating in the telecommunication C-band. Temporal correlations between photon detection events are analyzed using time-tagged coincidence measurements, enabling the extraction of synchronization peaks and their long-term stability. Experimental results demonstrate that, once locked, the sources exhibit stable temporal correlations over an 8-hour acquisition period, with a maximum observed drift of approximately 120 ps, primarily associated with long fiber links. The width of the correlation peak remains consistent with detector jitter, indicating negligible additional system-induced temporal broadening. A central result of this work is the experimental synchronization between two entanglement-photon sources in a realistic metropolitan deployment, where entanglement distribution is performed over existing telecommunication infrastructure characterized by non-negligible losses and background noise. In this scenario, despite the presence of significant imperfections introduced by the metropolitan-scale fiber network, the observed correlations remain clearly detectable and are consistently well-approximated by Gaussian statistics. This confirms that the two sources can be reliably synchronized not only in controlled laboratory conditions but also under real-world operating constraints.

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arXiv2026

Towards Quantum Networks: Characterizing Raman Noise over Metropolitan-scale Fiber Network

The coexistence of quantum and classical signals in optical fiber infrastructures represents a major challenge for large-scale quantum networks, as noise sources such as Raman scattering can significantly impact entanglement distribution, and the quantum protocols based on it. In this work, we analyze Raman scattering in the C-band, used for entanglement distribution, generated by a classical the O-band signal. The main contribution of this study lays in investigating these effects in a real metropolitan-fiber network, moving beyond controlled laboratory experiments to deployed telecommunication environments. Measurements are performed over a 7 km metropolitan fiber link using commercial sources and narrowband lasers. The experimental results shows good agreement between the measurements taken under laboratory conditions, although, within the metropolitan-scale loop, localized spectral anomalies are observed in the deployed fibers. Therefore, our results show that, whenever a quantum signal propagates in the C-band alongside an O-band classical channel within the same fiber, careful selection of the operating frequency is required, as Raman scattering and other real-world noise sources can significantly affect the quality and stability of the quantum transmission. In particular, we identify spectral regions that are less affected by Raman noise, thereby providing practical guidelines for optimal quantum channel allocation. We demonstrate that Raman-induced noise constitutes a dominant contribution to the quantum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in realistic deployments, beyond background and detector noise. Overall, our findings offer practical insights for deploying quantum communication systems over existing fiber networks, supporting the development of robust and scalable quantum infrastructures.

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arXiv2026

Optimization of C-band quantum traffic coexisting with O-band classical traffic: preliminary results

The coexistence of quantum and classical signals in the same optical fiber is a critical challenge for the deployment of quantum networks. Indeed, selecting an optimal channel for quantum signal transmission is crucial to minimize noise arising from co-propagating classical signals. This work experimentally investigates spontaneous Raman scattering (SpRS), a major source of noise in signals transmitted along the same fiber. Unlike most previous studies relying on narrow-linewidth laboratory lasers or architectures based on spatial or temporal multiplexing of quantum and classical signals, we employ commercial SFP optical transceivers and standard single-core single-mode fiber for the transmission of quantum and classical signals in the same fiber, reflecting conditions typical of deployed urban fiber infrastructures. Building on these measurements, we derive a compact and predictive model that captures the Raman scattering profile, enabling accurate estimation of SpRS noise as a function of source power, wavelength, and fiber length. A key outcome of this work is that the proposed model is independent of the specific optical source used, demonstrating its generality and robustness. The model can therefore be used for the identification of optimal C-band channels for quantum signal allocation, namely those least affected by SpRS noise generated by co-propagating O-band classical traffic. These results pave the way for a parameter-robust description of Raman scattering applicable to diverse fiber-based systems.

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arXiv2026

Q2NSViz: An Open-source Standalone Visualizer for Quantum Network Simulations

The unique and non-classical features of quantum networks make their simulation and intuitive understanding inherently difficult. In this work, we present Q2NSViz, an open-source Python-based visualization tool for replaying and inspecting quantum-network simulation traces. Q2NSViz reconstructs the time evolution of the simulated network state, including physical topology, stored and in-flight qubits, classical bits and packets, measurements, and entanglement relationships. In this way, it exposes not only physical connectivity, but also the dynamic entanglement-induced structure produced, consumed, and transformed by protocol execution. Q2NSViz is built around a decoupled JSON/NDJSON trace contract, a Qt-free replay engine, and an interactive PyQt6 interface, making it a standalone companion to Q2NS and reusable by other simulation backends that emit the same trace format. By turning execution traces into navigable and reproducible visual artifacts, Q2NSViz provides a zero-coding tool for researchers and educators, narrowing the gap between abstract protocol logic and concrete execution.

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arXiv2026

Quantum Routers: A Switching-Fabric Framework for Quantum-Native Forwarding

Forwarding in quantum networks cannot be realized by directly transposing classical switching fabrics, since the no-cloning theorem and the quantum measurement postulate constrain the direct relay of quantum information while ruling out copy-based buffering and inspection. In this paper, we propose a switching-fabric framework for quantum routers based on multipartite entanglement. Specifically, we formalize the notion of an entanglement-based switching fabric, in which a graph state acts as the forwarding resource and entanglement forwarding is realized through local Pauli measurements. We translate the classical notions of blocking and non-blocking operation into structural conditions for entanglement-based fabrics, by deriving the \textit{edge-controlled (EC) design principle} for non-blocking operation. We instantiate this principle through a monolithic \textit{EC crossbar} and a modular Clos-type EC fabric, for which we characterize resource scaling and identify the regime where the modular design becomes more resource-efficient than the monolithic one. Finally, a forwarding-latency analysis establishes a fundamental distinction between matching-oblivious and matching-driven forwarding: the proposed EC fabrics realize all requested input-output entanglement links with constant forwarding depth under sufficient measurement parallelism, whereas matching-driven EPR-based fabrics exhibit latency that scales with the number of requested connections. The proposed framework provides a hardware-agnostic foundation for quantum-router switching fabrics.

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arXiv2026

A Resource-Driven Framework for Configurable Entanglement in Quantum Networks

Shared multipartite entanglement defines a ``whatever channel'', i.e., a latent communication substrate that does not determine a priori which end-to-end entangled links are activated, but can be configured to support different entanglement-connectivity graphs through Local Operations and Classical Communication (LOCC). Building on this, we propose a resource-driven framework in which multipartite entanglement is treated as a programmable resource that induces a space of admissible entanglement-graph configurations. Within this framework, connectivity provisioning emerges as a particular instance of a more general resource reconfiguration process. To support this paradigm, we introduce a set of structural design parameters that characterize the operational degrees of freedom of the resource and define the admissible transformations independently of the specific mechanism used to realize them. We then formalize Entanglement Rolling as a measurement-based protocol that operates over the induced configuration space, enabling the systematic reconfiguration of the shared resource across a family of multipartite states. Finally, we analyze the proposed framework under realistic noise conditions. Leveraging the Noisy Stabilizer Formalism (NSF), we derive closed-form noise maps that characterize the effect of noise on the resource transformations and show that the proposed approach maintains reliable performance under relevant noise processes.

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arXiv2026

Entanglement Generation During Distribution via Spatial Superposition

The exploitation of quantum coherence at the level of propagation represents a powerful paradigm for quantum communication networks. In this work, we show that the coherent superposition of spatially distinct communication links enables entanglement generation inherently during distribution. Specifically, separable quantum states can be deterministically transformed into entangled states, when the noisy communication links they traverse are coherently superposed. Contrary to the conventional view of noise as a detrimental effect, we demonstrate that quantum noise itself can be transformed into a constructive resource for entanglement generation for both bipartite and multipartite entanglement. Given the practical feasibility of implementing spatial superposition in interferometric setups, our approach provides a feasible method for distributed entanglement engineering, opening new directions for quantum communication and networked quantum technologies.

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arXiv2026

Quantum Routing Beyond Pathfinding: Multipartite Entanglement Complementation

Conventional quantum routing operates under the entrenched assumption that pathfinding is a prerequisite for routing. This classical-inspired routing model imposes a restricting design option, which prevents scaling the quantumness to the network functioning. In this paper, we proposed a novel entanglement-driven routing framework that exploits multipartite entanglement complementation for enabling simultaneous 1-hop connectivity among all non-adjacent source-destination pairs. This changes the notion of ``remoteness'' in the entanglement graph, activated by entanglement. We extend this framework to inter-domain quantum networks and design a polynomial-time algorithm. Such an algorithm allows to select and parallelize multiple requests, bypassing NP-complete path discovery. Performance analysis shows the proposed routing strategy achieves up to $60\%$ hop reduction, with the algorithm enabling efficient parallelism and strong scalability in inter-domain quantum networks.

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arXiv2026

Q2NS Demo: A Quantum Network Simulator Based on ns-3

Q2NS is an open-source quantum network simulator built on ns-3, the de facto standard for classical network simulation. By inheriting ns-3's mature classical stack and event-driven execution model, Q2NS enables faithful co-simulation of quantum-network dynamics and classical signaling, a core requirement for the functioning of any quantum network. Its modular architecture is designed for extensibility, with pluggable quantum-state backends (state-vector, density matrix, stabilizer) and a clean separation between network control and node-level operations. Q2NS comes with a quantum network visualizer Q2NSViz, supporting interactive inspection of both physical- and entanglement-induced connectivity graphs, helping users interpret protocol behavior and entanglement manipulation processes. We present a demonstration of Q2NS, highlighting its ability to capture and simulate the coexistence of quantum and classical communication. The proposed demonstration presents quantum communication scenarios of increasing complexity: from entanglement distribution basics to multipartite graph-state manipulation, complemented by pre-loaded examples in Q2NSViz that require no prior quantum communication or coding experience.

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arXiv2026

An Extensible Quantum Network Simulator Built on ns-3: Q2NS Design and Evaluation

As quantum networking hardware remains costly and not yet widely accessible, simulation tools are essential for the design and evaluation of quantum network architectures and protocols. However, designing a scalable and computationally efficient quantum network simulator is intrinsically challenging: i) quantum dynamics must be emulated on classical computing platforms while capturing the stateful and non-local nature of entanglement, a quantum resource without any classical networking analog; ii) quantum networking is inherently hybrid, as protocol execution also fundamentally depends on classical signaling. This makes a tight and faithful co-simulation of quantum operations and classical message exchanges a core requirement. In this light, we present Q2NS, a modular and extensible quantum network simulator, built on top of ns-3, designed to seamlessly integrate quantum-network primitives with ns-3's established classical protocol stack. Q2NS adopts a modular architecture that decouples protocol control logic from node- and channel-level operations, enabling rapid prototyping and adaptation across heterogeneous and evolving Quantum Internet scenarios. Q2NS natively supports multiple quantum state representations through a unified interface, allowing interchangeable state-vector, density-matrix, and stabilizer backends. We validate Q2NS through realistic use-case studies and comprehensive benchmarks, demonstrating superior computational efficiency over representative state-of-the-art alternatives, while preserving modeling flexibility. Finally, we provide a dedicated visualization tool that jointly captures physical and entanglement-enabled connectivity and supports entangled-state manipulations, facilitating an intuitive interpretation of entanglement dynamics and protocol behavior. Q2NS offers a flexible, open, and scalable simulation platform for advancing Quantum Internet research.

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arXiv2026

A Quantum Internet Protocol Suite Beyond Layering

Layering, the protocol organization principle underpinning the classical Internet, is ill-suited to the Quantum Internet, built around entanglement, which is non-local and stateful. This paper proposes a quantum-native organizational principle based on dynamic composition, which replaces static layering with a distributed orchestration fabric driven by the node local state and in-band control. Each node runs a Dynamic Kernel that i) constructs a local PoA of candidate steps to advance a service intent, and ii) executes the PoA by composing atomic micro-protocols into context-aware procedures (the meta-protocols). Quantum packets carry an in-band control-field (the meta-header) containing the service intent and an append-only list of action-commit records, termed as stamps. Successive nodes exploit this minimal, authoritative history to construct their local PoAs. As quantum packets progress, these local commits collectively induce a network-wide, direct acyclic graph that certifies end-to-end service fulfillment, without requiring global synchronization. In contrast to classical encapsulation, the proposed suite enforces order by certification: dependency-aware local scheduling decides what may run at a certain node, stamps certify what did run and constrain subsequent planning. By embedding procedural control within the quantum packet, the design ensures coherence and consistency between entanglement-state evolution and control-flow, preventing divergence between resource state ad protocol logic, while remaining MP-agnostic and implementation-decoupled. The resulting suite is modular, adaptable to entanglement dynamics, and scalable. It operates correctly with or without optional control-plane hints. Indeed, when present, hints can steer QoS policies, without changing semantics. We argue that dynamic composition is the organizing principle required for a truly quantum-native Internet.

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arXiv2025

Flexible Qubit Allocation of Network Resource States

The Quantum Internet is still in its infancy, yet identifying scalable and resilient quantum network resource states is an essential task for realizing it. We explore the use of graph states with flexible, non-trivial qubit-to-node assignments. This flexibility enables adaptable engineering of the entanglement topology of an arbitrary quantum network. In particular, we focus on cluster states with arbitrary allocation as network resource states and as a promising candidate for a network core-level entangled resource, due to its intrinsic flexible connectivity properties and resilience to particle losses. We introduce a modeling framework for overlaying entanglement topologies on physical networks and demonstrate how optimized and even random qubit assignment, creates shortcuts and improves robustness and memory savings, while substantially reducing the average hop distance between remote network nodes, when compared to conventional approaches.

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arXiv2025

Polynomial-time Extraction of Entanglement Resources

The extraction of EPR pairs and n-qubits GHZ states among remote nodes in quantum networks constitutes the resource primitives for end-to-end and on-demand communications. However, the Bell-VM problem, which determines whether a given graph state can be transformed into a set of Bell pairs on specific vertices (not necessarily remote), is known to be NP-complete. In this paper, we extend this problem, not only by focusing on nodes remote within generic graph states, but also by determining the number of extractable n-qubit remote GHZ states -- beside the number of remote EPR pairs. The rationale for tackling the extraction of GHZ states among remote nodes, rather than solely remote EPR pairs, is that a GHZ state enables the dynamic extraction of an EPR pair between any pair of nodes sharing the state. This, in turn, implies the ability of accommodating the traffic requests on-the-fly. Specially, we propose a polynomial-time algorithm for solving the aforementioned NP-complete problem. Our results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is able to effectively adapt to generic graph states for extracting entanglement resources across remote nodes.

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arXiv2025

Beyond Traditional Quantum Routing

Existing quantum routing implicitly mimics classical routing principles, with finding the ``best'' path (aka pathfinding), according to a selected routing metric, as a core mechanism for establishing end-to-end entanglement. However, optimal pathfinding is computationally intensive, particularly in complex topologies. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to quantum routing, which avoids the inherent overhead of conventional quantum pathfinding, by establishing directly entanglement between remote nodes. Our approach exploits graph complement strategies. It allows to improve the flexibility and efficiency of quantum networks, by paving the way for more practical quantum communication infrastructures.

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arXiv2025

Quantum Paths: a Quantum Walk approach

The quantum switch, a process enabling a coherent superposition of different orders of quantum channels, has garnered significant attention due to its ability to enable noiseless communications through noisy channels, such as entanglement-breaking channels. However, its practical implementation and scalability remain challenging. In contrast, the spatial superposition of quantum channels is more accessible experimentally and has been shown to enhance channel capacity, although it does not match the performance of the quantum switch. In this work, we present preliminary theoretical results demonstrating that, by applying tools of the quantum random walk framework to the spatial superposition of channels, it is possible to replicate the output of a quantum switch. These findings suggest a promising and more feasible route to emulate the quantum switch, offering both practical advantages and interpretative clarity.

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