Spatial reference frame agreement in quantum networks

Abstract

In order to communicate information in a quantum network effectively, all network nodes should share a common reference frame. Here, we propose to study how well m nodes in a quantum network can establish a common spatial reference frame from scratch, even though t of them may be arbitrarily faulty. We present a protocol that allows all correctly functioning nodes to agree on a common reference frame as long as they are fully connected and not more than nodes are faulty. Our protocol furthermore has the appealing property that it allows any existing two-node protocol for reference frame agreement to be lifted to a protocol for a quantum network. © 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.