The potential synergy between quantum communications and future wireless communication systems is explored. By proposing a quantum-native or quantum-by-design philosophy, the survey examines technologies such as quantumdomain (QD) multi-input multi-output, QD non-orthogonal multiple access, quantum secure direct communication, QD resource allocation, QD routing, and QD artificial intelligence. The recent research advances in these areas are summarized. Given the behavior of photonic and particle-like Terahertz (THz) systems, a comprehensive system-oriented perspective is adopted to assess the feasibility of using quantum communications in future systems. This survey also reviews quantum optimization algorithms and quantum neural networks to explore the potential integration of quantum communication and quantum computing in future systems. Additionally, the current status of quantum sensing, quantum radar, and quantum timing is briefly reviewed in support of future applications. The associated research gaps and future directions are identified, including extending the entanglement coherence time, developing THz quantum communications devices, addressing challenges in channel estimation and tracking, and establishing the theoretical bounds and performance trade-offs of quantum communication, computing, and sensing. This survey offers a unique perspective on the potential for quantum communications to revolutionize future systems and pave the way for even more advanced technologies.
The potential synergy between quantum communications and future wireless communication systems is explored. By proposing a quantum-native or quantum-by-design philosophy, the survey examines technologies such as quantumdomain (QD) multi-input multi-output, QD non-orthogonal multiple access, quantum secure direct communication, QD resource allocation, QD routing, and QD artificial intelligence. The recent research advances in these areas are summarized. Given the behavior of photonic and particle-like Terahertz (THz) systems, a comprehensive system-oriented perspective is adopted to assess the feasibility of using quantum communications in future systems. This survey also reviews quantum optimization algorithms and quantum neural networks to explore the potential integration of quantum communication and quantum computing in future systems. Additionally, the current status of quantum sensing, quantum radar, and quantum timing is briefly reviewed in support of future applications. The associated research gaps and future directions are identified, including extending the entanglement coherence time, developing THz quantum communications devices, addressing challenges in channel estimation and tracking, and establishing the theoretical bounds and performance trade-offs of quantum communication, computing, and sensing. This survey offers a unique perspective on the potential for quantum communications to revolutionize future systems and pave the way for even more advanced technologies.
The potential synergy between quantum communications and future wireless communication systems is explored. By proposing a quantum-native or quantum-by-design philosophy, the survey examines technologies such as quantumdomain (QD) multi-input multi-output, QD non-orthogonal multiple access, quantum secure direct communication, QD resource allocation, QD routing, and QD artificial intelligence. The recent research advances in these areas are summarized. Given the behavior of photonic and particle-like Terahertz (THz) systems, a comprehensive system-oriented perspective is adopted to assess the feasibility of using quantum communications in future systems. This survey also reviews quantum optimization algorithms and quantum neural networks to explore the potential integration of quantum communication and quantum computing in future systems. Additionally, the current status of quantum sensing, quantum radar, and quantum timing is briefly reviewed in support of future applications. The associated research gaps and future directions are identified, including extending the entanglement coherence time, developing THz quantum communications devices, addressing challenges in channel estimation and tracking, and establishing the theoretical bounds and performance tradeoffs of quantum communication, computing, and sensing. This survey offers a unique perspective on the potential for quantum communications to revolutionize future systems and pave the way for even more advanced technologies.
The recent advances in quantum information processing, sensing, and communications are surveyed with the objective of identifying the associated knowledge gaps and formulating a roadmap for their future evolution. Since the operation of quantum systems is prone to the deleterious effects of decoherence, which manifests itself in terms of bit-flips, phase-flips, or both, the pivotal subject of quantum error mitigation is reviewed both in the presence and absence of quantum coding. The state of the art, knowledge gaps, and future evolution of quantum machine learning (QML) are also discussed, followed by a discourse on quantum radar systems and briefly hypothesizing about the feasibility of integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) in the quantum domain (QD). Finally, we conclude with a set of promising future research ideas in the field of ultimately secure quantum communications with the objective of harnessing ideas from the classical communications field.
With the recent advancements and developments in quantum technologies, the emerging field of quantum communication and networking has gained the attention of the researchers. Owing to the unique properties of quantum mechanics, viz., quantum superposition and entanglement, this new area of quantum communication has shown potential to replace modernday communication technologies. The enhanced security and high information sharing ability using principles of quantum mechanics has encouraged networking engineers and physicists to develop this technology for next generation wireless systems. However, a conceptual bridge between the fundamentals of quantum mechanics, photonics and the deployability of a quantum communication infrastructure is not well founded in the current literature. This paper aims to fill this gap by merging the theoretical concepts from quantum physics to the engineering and computing perspectives of quantum technology. This paper builds the fundamental concepts required for understanding quantum communication, reviews the key concepts and demonstrates how these concepts can be leveraged for accomplishing successful communication. The paper delves into implementation advancements for executing quantum communication protocols, explaining how hardware implementation enables the achievement of all basic quantum computing operations. Finally, the paper provides a comprehensive and critical review of the state-of-the-art advancements in the field of quantum communication and quantum internet; and points out the recent trends, challenges and open problems for the real-world realization of next generation networking systems.
As the world prepares for the advent of 6G networks, quantum technologies are becoming critical enablers of the next generation of communication systems. This survey paper investigates the convergence of quantum technologies and 6G networks, focusing on their applications, opportunities and challenges. We begin with an examination of the motivations for integrating quantum technologies into 6G, investigating the potential to overcome the limits of classical computing and cryptography. We then highlight key research gaps, particularly in quantum communication, quantum computing integration and security enhancement. A comprehensive overview of quantum technologies relevant to 6G, including quantum communication devices, quantum computing paradigms, and hybrid quantum-classical approaches is provided. A particular focus is on the role of quantum technologies in enhancing 6G Radio Access Networks (RAN), 6G core and edge network optimization, and 6G security. The survey paper also explores the application of quantum cryptography with a focus on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Quantum Secure Direct Communication (QSDC) and quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms and assesses their implementation challenges and potential impact on 6G networks. We also discuss the significant challenges associated with integrating quantum technologies into existing communications infrastructures, including issues of technological maturity, standardization, and economic considerations. Finally, we summarize the lessons learned from current research and outline future research directions to guide the ongoing development of quantum-enabled 6G networks.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the field of quantum communication has emerged in recent years as a promising avenue for enhancing secure data transmission, error correction, and scalability in quantum networks. This paper offers a comprehensive survey of AI applications in quantum communication, with a focus on machine learning (ML) models such as neural networks and reinforcement learning, which are adapted to manage complex quantum challenges. Despite the growing body of research, current studies often concentrate on specific AI techniques or quantum applications, lacking a unified framework that evaluates their practical effectiveness, scalability, and cost-efficiency. Addressing this gap, our survey systematically reviews and categorizes AI-driven methodologies across core aspects like system security, transmission speed, and reliability. Through a critical comparison and ranking of existing techniques, this study identifies best practices and key advancements while highlighting areas requiring further exploration. By providing an in-depth analysis of AI's potential to transform quantum communication, this paper aims to serve as a foundational resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to develop resilient, adaptive, and economically viable quantum communication systems.
Quantum communication and information technologies are poised to transform secure data transmission, distributed quantum computing, and scalable networking by leveraging fundamental principles such as superposition, entanglement, and the no-cloning theorem. This survey presents a structured overview of the quantum information processing (QIP) landscape, spanning theoretical foundations to system-level architectures. We cover quantum states, unitary evolution, gates, and channels, leading to the mathematical framework of quantum operations and the effects of decoherence. Quantum error correction (QEC) is examined through block codes and fault-tolerant operations, along with its integration with entanglement purification to address challenges of noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices. Physical platforms, including gate-based, continuousvariable and measurement-based models, are analyzed with an emphasis on error mitigation strategies to preserve coherence. We also discuss advancements in quantum sensing, particularly phase estimation, and evaluate communication protocols such as quantum key distribution (QKD) and teleportation in terms of fidelity, efficiency, and resilience. At the system level, components such as quantum networks, repeaters, and routers are reviewed with attention to scalability and security. Each section concludes with lessons learned, reflecting on challenges, trade-offs, and open questions. The survey culminates in outlining future directions in hybrid QEC-sensing integration, AI-enhanced error correction, and topological architectures, offering a forward-looking perspective on the co-evolution of quantum technologies. By bridging theory, protocols, physical systems, and architectures, this work charts a comprehensive roadmap toward secure, scalable, and high-fidelity quantum communication.