QuaNTUM: A Modular Quantum Communication Testbed for Scalable Fiber and Satellite Integration

Abstract

Secure communication is essential for modern society, from financial transactions to critical infrastructure. As classical encryption faces threats from advancing computational power, quantum communication provides a fundamentally secure alternative based on physical laws. We present QuaNTUM (Quantum Network at the Technical University of Munich), a modular and extensible quantum communication testbed enabling scalable experiments across fiber-based campus networks and satellite-ground links. The terrestrial network connects research institutions in Garching near Munich via single-mode fibers in a star topology with polarization-maintaining components, multiplexers, and time-synchronized analysis modules. Active polarization control and real-time feedback support stable qubit transmission for high-fidelity quantum key distribution and entanglement distribution. A key feature is the integration of deterministic solid-state single-photon sources, including defects in hexagonal boron nitride and excited erbium atoms, with initial deployments on small satellites to bridge terrestrial and free-space channels. As an open-access platform, QuaNTUM enables protocol development, device benchmarking, and hybrid network research, providing a foundation for scalable quantum communication and future global quantum networks.

Conference proceedings (QUEST-IS 2025)