Abstract
As quantum network technologies develop, the need for teaching and engineering tools such as simulators and emulators rises. QuNetSim addresses this need. QuNetSim is a Python software framework that delivers an easy-to-use interface for simulating quantum networks at the network layer, which can be extended at little effort of the user to implement the corresponding link layer protocols. The goal of QuNetSim is to make it easier to investigate and test quantum networking protocols over various quantum network configurations and parameters. The framework incorporates many known quantum network protocols so that users can quickly build simulations using a quantum-networking toolbox in a few lines of code and so that beginners can easily learn to implement their own quantum networking protocols. Unlike most current tools, QuNetSim simulates with real time and is, therefore, well suited to control laboratory hardware. Here, we present a software design overview of QuNetSim and demonstrate examples of protocols implemented with it. We describe ongoing work, which uses QuNetSim as a library, and describe possible future directions for the development of QuNetSim.
Highlights
A quantum network is a network of physical devices that are able to transmit quantum information and distribute quantum entanglement amongst themselves
The initial release of QuNetSim addresses this need by providing a lightweight, easy to use, open-source, quantum network simulation framework which runs in real time and is in principle able to interact with laboratory equipment
We reviewed the design choices and architecture of QuNetSim and the built-in features that allow for complex quantum networking protocols to be developed in a straight-forward way
Summary
A quantum network is a network of physical devices that are able to transmit quantum information and distribute quantum entanglement amongst themselves. There has been much effort into developing quantum simulation software for quantum computing [3], whereas simulation software for quantum networks has received considerably less attention. The initial release of QuNetSim addresses this need by providing a lightweight, easy to use, open-source, quantum network simulation framework which runs in real time and is in principle able to interact with laboratory equipment. As it has been done for the classical Internet with, for example, the NS-3 [4] and Mininet [5] platforms, work towards a similar open-source simulation platform with many contributors should be developed for quantum networking
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