Insider Brief
- New Zealand and South Korea have launched three joint quantum communication research projects aimed at enabling secure long-distance networks, compact hardware and cross-signal connectivity.
- One project is developing quantum repeaters using rare-earth quantum memories in photonic circuits to extend ultra-secure communication across cities and countries.
- Two additional projects focus on a chip-based quantum light source for affordable quantum key distribution and a signal interface that links light and microwave quantum systems.
- Photo by FlyD on Unsplash
New Zealand and South Korea are moving to make long-distance quantum communication more practical, backing three joint research projects that target secure data links, compact hardware and new ways to connect different types of quantum signals, according to a news release from Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
The projects are part of the New Zealand–Korea Joint Research Partnerships Programme, a triennial funding initiative that supports bilateral science and technology work between the two countries.
“Quantum communication was selected as the focus for our 2025 joint funding round as breakthroughs could lead to significant benefits for our people and economy – enabling safer online banking, secure health data sharing and protection against cyber threats,” said Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Manager Specialised Investments Heather Penny, in the release.
The latest call for proposals was administered by the Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies on behalf of New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. On the New Zealand side, the work is supported by the government’s Catalyst Fund, according to the news release.
“Quantum communication offers a way to keep information secure, but right now there are challenges in encoding light particles (photons) with quantum information, sending them over long distances while retaining their quantum properties to enable quantum systems to talk to each other,” said Dodd-Walls Director Frédérique Vanholsbeeck, in the release.
Quantum communication uses the rules of quantum physics to protect data. In simple terms, it allows two parties to share encryption keys in a way that reveals any attempt at eavesdropping. While the basic science is well established, deploying it across cities, countries and existing telecom networks remains a major engineering challenge. The three projects aim to remove some of those barriers.
The partnership combines New Zealand’s research base in quantum science and photonics with South Korea’s engineering capabilities and manufacturing experience, the release said. The goal is to create building blocks for future quantum networks that could support government, defense, finance and, eventually, everyday communications.
Ultra-secure Relays
In the first project, researchers from the University of Otago and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology are developing quantum repeaters. These act as secure relay stations that allow fragile quantum signals to be extended over long distances without losing their special properties.
The team is using rare-earth quantum memories embedded in advanced photonic circuits. This means storing and re-emitting single particles of light in a controlled way so that secure signals can be handed off from one segment of a network to the next. If successful, the repeaters would allow ultra-secure communication across cities and national borders, lay the groundwork for scalable quantum networks and support modular quantum computers that link smaller systems together.
Chip-based Light Sources
A second project pairs the University of Auckland with KAIST to create a compact quantum light source. Today, many quantum communication systems rely on bulky optical setups that are costly and difficult to integrate with standard telecom infrastructure.
The researchers are replacing those large systems with a chip-based device that generates the specialized light needed for quantum key distribution, or QKD. QKD is the method that allows encryption keys to be shared with built-in detection of interception. A chip-scale source would make the technology cheaper, smaller and easier to deploy over existing fiber-optic networks.
The release said the work is intended to support ultra-secure communication for government, defense and financial users at first, with broader public use over time. It also opens a path toward cost-effective manufacturing and faster commercialization of integrated quantum photonic components.
Bridging Light and Microwave Quantum Signals
The third project links the University of Otago with Kyung Hee University to solve a different problem: how to connect quantum signals that operate in different physical forms. Some quantum systems use light, while others use microwave signals. Today, these systems largely operate in separate worlds.
The joint team is developing an interface that connects light and microwave signals using surface acoustic waves and light resonators. Surface acoustic waves are vibrations that travel along a material’s surface and can interact with both light and electronic signals. By using them as a bridge, the researchers aim to enable seamless and secure signal transfer across mixed quantum networks.
The work is intended to support future hybrid technologies that combine communication and computing functions.
Visit the MBIE website for more information on the programme and successful proposals.
