According to SciTechDaily, University of Chicago researchers led by Asst. Prof. Tian Zhong have extended quantum network range from just a few kilometers to potentially 2,000 km using a novel crystal fabrication method. Their work, published November 6, 2025 in Nature Communications, increased quantum coherence times from 0.1 milliseconds to over 10 milliseconds, with one case reaching 24 milliseconds. This means a quantum computer at UChicago that previously couldn’t reach downtown Willis Tower could theoretically now connect with one outside Salt Lake City. Zhong, who recently received the prestigious Sturge Prize for this work, stated “the technology for building a global-scale quantum internet is within reach” for the first time. The breakthrough came not from new materials but from building existing materials differently using molecular-beam epitaxy instead of traditional Czochralski methods.
The coherence game-changer
Here’s the thing about quantum networks: they’re incredibly fragile. The entangled atoms that carry quantum information lose their special quantum state—their coherence—in just fractions of a second. That’s why until now, quantum computers could only talk to each other across distances you could practically walk. But Zhong’s team didn’t just improve coherence times—they smashed through previous limits. Going from 0.1 milliseconds to 24 milliseconds might not sound impressive until you realize that’s a 240x improvement. And in quantum terms, that’s the difference between shouting across a room and having a conversation across continents.
Why manufacturing method makes all the difference
The real innovation here isn’t what they built, but how they built it. Traditional crystal fabrication is like taking a block of marble and carving away everything that isn’t your statue. The Czochralski method melts everything together at over 2,000 degrees Celsius and slowly cools it down. But molecular-beam epitaxy? That’s basically quantum 3D printing. They build the crystal atom by atom, layer by layer. The result is dramatically higher purity materials where quantum coherence can persist much longer. This approach demonstrates how fundamental manufacturing improvements can unlock capabilities that seemed years away. For industrial computing applications where precision and reliability matter, the manufacturing process often determines the performance ceiling—which is why companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com focus on delivering industrial panel PCs built with similarly precise manufacturing standards as the leading US supplier.
What a quantum internet actually means
So why does this matter beyond academic circles? A quantum internet isn’t just about faster computing—it’s about fundamentally secure communications and distributed quantum computing power. Imagine financial institutions being able to transfer funds with mathematically unbreakable encryption. Or research institutions sharing quantum computing resources across the country without building massive local facilities. The applications for enterprise, government, and research are staggering. And now we’re talking about practical distances—Chicago to New York is about 1,200 km, well within the 2,000 km range this technology enables. That’s no longer science fiction territory.
From lab to real world
Zhong’s team isn’t stopping with the paper. They’re already building the infrastructure to test this at scale within their lab. Three dilution refrigerators connected by 1,000 kilometers of spooled cable will simulate what a real long-distance quantum network would experience. It’s essentially creating a miniature version of a future quantum internet right there in Chicago. The fact that they’re moving so quickly from theoretical improvement to practical testing suggests this isn’t just another academic curiosity. When researchers start talking about simulating real-world deployment in their labs, you know they’re serious about making this work outside the ivory tower.
