New Leap in Belgian Quantum Communication Infrastructure: imec, UGent and Belnet Realize First QKD Links

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BeQCI, the consortium charged with deploying the first ever open quantum communication infrastructure in Belgium, has reached an important milestone in its Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) mission. Belnet, the Belgian National Research Network, has successfully set up the required infrastructure and realized the first QKD links together with imec and UGent. This is a big step in the prestigious 30-month quantum cryptography project, which aims to achieve what was up until now impossible: a way to transmit data 100% safe and uninterceptably, using quantum physics principles. BeQCI is funded by the EU and the Belgian Science Policy Office.

Quantum computers are soon expected to have the capability of breaking current (mathematical) encryption methods. Considering the huge role of IT in society and the ever-increasing attacks, a new paradigm for IT security is required, and the scientific community is actively working on practical solutions. Ironically, just like the threat, a possible solution comes from … quantum physics.

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a new type of cryptography that aims at securing data communication using the laws of quantum mechanics. The solution relies on the “no-cloning theorem", which states that quantum mechanical states cannot be copied, and allows for a new level of security in digital communication.

This motivated the EU to launch EuroQCI, a massive technological and scientific effort for developing a European quantum communication network, for which BeQCI forms the Belgian branch. In the short term this network will involve QKD applications and other, quantum-resistant cryptography solutions. The longer-term vision is that such a network could serve as the backbone for a quantum internet, providing long-distance connections between quantum devices like quantum computers and quantum sensors.

Strengths of the Belgian research landscape

Within the EU HORIZON program, the European Commission is supporting member states to develop research and infrastructure for quantum-secure communication through the EuroQCI program. The program aims at building a European ecosystem to allow industry and research in the quantum communication field to thrive. In Belgium, the program takes form in the BeQCI project, a nation-wide consortium putting together academic institutions, private companies and governmental organizations.

The project, launched in January 2023, aims at establishing a quantum-secure communication testbed in Belgium, to allow private and public institutions to get familiar with the unavoidable future of digital communication. The project also sponsors selected research lines in academic institutions. The aim is to leverage the strengths of the Belgium research landscape​ to overcome the challenges of current QKD technology such as excessive costs or lack of scalability.

First three links established

The first QKD link, connecting two campuses of Ghent University, will be used mainly for research purposes. A second link connects Redu and Transinne and will be used by the European Space Agency together with the Centre d'Excellence en Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication (CETIC) to secure IOT data transfer. Finally, a third link, connecting two datacenters of Belnet, will be used for internal secure data transfer.

Karel Dumon, researcher at imec and project manager of BeQCI: “We're very excited about entering this new phase, making this project a lot more concrete. The established infrastructure offers the opportunity to get early hands-on experience with QKD links for ultra secure data transfer between, for example, governmental institutions, banks or hospitals. Our infrastructure is now open to new end users that want to assess the practicality of different QKD systems and protocols.”

Jo Segaert, network engineer at Belnet and lead deployment of BeQCI: "As the national research and education network, Belnet has built up broad expertise in innovative networking technologies. We are therefore ideally placed to deploy this quantum communication network with the support of our many academic partners. We look forward to sharing our know-how with end users and supporting them in using the QKD infrastructure.”