GPR-6128 Joint Encryption and Error Correction for Quantum Communication

Secure quantum networks are foundational for developing a quantum internet in the future. However, current age quantum channels are prone to noise, which can introduce errors in transmitted data. Traditionally, error correction is applied to the message separately, after encryption, resulting in additional overhead that should be minimized. In response, we propose a unified approach that combines encryption and error correction into a single process. This work represents an initial effort to integrate these functions for secure quantum communication by integrating the Calderbank-Shor-Steane (CSS) Quantum Error Correction (QECC) code with the three-stage secure quantum communication protocol. Additionally, the protocol supports the transmission of arbitrary qubits from sender to receiver, making it adaptable for general use.