Distributing entanglement in first-generation discrete- and continuous-variable quantum repeaters

Quantum repeaters are used to overcome the exponential photon loss scaling that quantum states acquire as they are transmitted over long distances. While repeaters for discrete-variable encodings of quantum information have existed for some time, approaches for continuous-variable encoding quantum repeaters have only recently been proposed. In this work, we present a method of using a discrete-variable repeater protocol to distribute continuous-variable states and utilize it to compare the rates of continuous-variable entanglement distribution between first-generation continuous- and discrete-variable quantum repeaters. Such a comparison allows us to begin to benchmark the two quite different approaches.

Automated summary

This study presents a method of using a discrete-variable repeater protocol to distribute continuous-variable states and compares the rates of continuous-variable entanglement distribution between first-generation continuous- and discrete-variable quantum repeaters.