Quantum Networks and the Quantum Internet: Architectures, Protocols, and Emerging Applications

Quantum Networks and the Quantum Internet: Architectures, Protocols, and Emerging Applications (2026) by Mirza Adnan Mohtashim and Primoz Krulik is a comprehensive review article surveying the field of quantum networks. It covers fundamental principles (entanglement, no-cloning, quantum channels), key components (quantum repeaters, memories, teleportation), architectures (fiber, satellite, hybrid), protocols (QKD variants, entanglement distribution, routing), experimental progress (Micius satellite, metropolitan testbeds, 2015–2025 milestones), emerging applications (quantum cryptography, distributed computing, sensing networks), and challenges toward a global quantum internet. Targeted at researchers, graduate students, and engineers, it serves as a unified reference for this rapidly advancing interdisciplinary domain.