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A new collaborative project aims to take this technology to a new level and to design and test demonstrator systems under real-world operating conditions.
The following text has been machine translated from the German with no human editing.
Quantum repeaters distribute quantum information with minimal loss, thereby enabling end-to-end secure communication protected by quantum physics. Large-scale quantum networks require that quantum states can be reliably transmitted between nodes that are far apart. The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is now providing around 12 million euros in funding for a new collaborative project in which researchers will further develop and test technologies and demonstrators for quantum repeaters under real operating conditions. Saarland University leads the collaborative project.
Quantum communication is regarded as a central pillar of modern IT security research. It lays the foundation for secure digital infrastructures, the protection of sensitive data and Germany's technological sovereignty. The High-Tech Agenda Germany, adopted by the Federal Cabinet on 1 July 2025, identifies quantum technologies, in particular quantum communication, as one of the key technologies of the future. Quantum repeaters are indispensable for the establishment and expansion of high-performance quantum networks. They overcome the range limitations of optical communication channels and enable the low-loss transmission of quantum information over long distances. The High-Tech Agenda defines the technology demonstration of a first quantum repeater by 2028 as a ' ' milestone – as the basis for far-reaching quantum communication and, in the long term, for a future quantum internet.
Against this backdrop, the BMFTR launched a new project in January 2026. The 14-month research project 'Technologies and Demonstrators for Quantum Repeaters (TD.QR)' aims to develop, optimize and test key repeater technologies, thereby creating, together with further research work, the crucial prerequisites for achieving the 2028 milestone. The new project builds on the groundwork laid by the collaborative project 'Quantenrepeater.Net (QR.N)' as well as earlier research consortia, within the framework of which researchers have already developed and tested key technologies, concepts and protocols for quantum repeaters in initial demonstrations – including the distribution of entanglement and quantum teleportation over fibre-optic links.
The project is now taking the next step: plans include the implementation of quantum repeater links on real-world test routes outside of controlled laboratory environments, as well as the demonstration of fundamental functions of quantum networks. These include the establishment of mobile and scalable quantum nodes, the optimization of components for entanglement distribution between different quantum storage platforms and the setup of repeater links with multiple nodes.
A consortium of eleven leading academic partners – including Saarland University – at seven locations supports the project and works closely together on complementary sub-projects. Saarland University is also responsible for the overall coordination of the project. The combination of basic research, technology development and application prospects makes it possible to systematically address key challenges in quantum repeater technology and to translate research findings into concrete applications. Through its contribution to quantum communication as part of the High-Tech Agenda, TD.QR strengthens Germany's technological capabilities and sovereignty in a strategically crucial field of the future.
Further information in the BMFTR project profile:
https://www.forschung-it-sicherheit-kommunikationssysteme.de/projekte/td.qr
For further information, please contact:
Prof. Dr. Christoph Becher Tel.: +49-681-302-2466 Email: christoph.becher [at] physik.uni-saarland.de
