Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 1 day ago
Researchers link 13 photonic qubits without destroying the photons
A team of Chinese researchers demonstrated a way to connect small groups of entangled microwave photons into a larger network.
The experiment used superconducting circuits and linked 13 photonic qubits.
Qubits are the basic units of quantum information, and entanglement links them so their shared state cannot be described separately.
Existing methods for joining entangled groups can fail and may require repeated attempts.
The team used a measurement that extracts information while preserving the photons, and tuned their frequencies to choose which pairs to connect.
The result was entanglement across the full group, rather than only within smaller groups.
Larger, reconfigurable networks of this kind could support quantum computing, communication and error correction, though the work is a step toward those uses.
A team of Chinese researchers demonstrated a method for joining smaller groups of entangled microwave photons into larger, programmable quantum networks without destroying the photons.
The researchers used a superconducting circuit and quantum nondemolition measurement to connect the photon groups.
By tuning photon frequencies, the team could select which photon pairs underwent measurement and control how the groups were connected.
The experiment demonstrated genuine multipartite entanglement across 13 photonic qubits, meaning the entanglement extended across the whole group.
The approach could support future quantum computing and communication, but the system still needs improvements in device accuracy, photon-generation efficiency and detector performance.
- Who
- A team of Chinese researchers; the senior study author was Hongyi Zhang of Tsinghua University.
- What
- A programmable, nondestructive method for joining entangled microwave-photon groups, demonstrated across 13 photonic qubits.
- When
- The article was published on October 10, 2026; the study date is not stated.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- To provide a potential route to larger, reconfigurable photonic graph states for quantum computing and communication.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Large photonic graph states are important resources for quantum communication, quantum networks and measurement-based quantum computing,
Our main contribution is a fusion operation that is deterministic, programmable and nondestructive,
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Entangled photonic qubits demonstrated
- 13
- Photon type
- Microwave photons
- Key device
- A superconducting circuit
- Senior study author
- Hongyi Zhang, Tsinghua University
- Article publication date
- October 10, 2026
Sources
Related news
Turkish students win record 78 medals at international science olympiads
Bohai Bay plant cuts desalination energy use by more than half
Used cooking oil may damage modern diesel engines
Heavy rain expected in parts of Turkey as 13 provinces get yellow alerts
Hurricane Simon and other weather systems bring heavy rain to Mexico
Three-volume series on weather support for China’s low-altitude economy published
Heavy rain and flash-flood risk forecast across parts of Saudi Arabia
Hunan launches AI platform for hybrid rice breeding
China’s first five national parks score highly on ecological benefits
El Niño sets Pacific temperature record as event intensifies
CCCC design for deep-sea survey ship passes expert review
