Quantum Communications Networks using the properties of qubits, namely state superposition, no-cloning and entanglement, can enable the exchange of information in a very secure manner across optical links or free space. New innovations enable the use of optical repeaters as well as multi-cast communication in the networks. Some types of quantum communications mechanisms can be implemented at room-temperature instead of requiring super-cooled systems. This makes it likely that business impact from quantum communications will be realized sooner than that from quantum computers. Quantum networks need to be integrated into the ecosystem of currently deployed classical networks and augment them with new capabilities. Classical computers and networks need to be able to use the new secure communication capabilities offered by quantum networks. To provide this interoperability, appropriate software abstractions on the usage of quantum networks need to be developed. In this paper, we examine what the type of software abstractions quantum networks can provide, and the type of applications that the new abstractions can support.

翻译：利用量子比特的叠加态、不可克隆性和纠缠特性，量子通信网络能够通过光纤链路或自由空间以高度安全的方式实现信息交换。新型创新技术使光中继器以及网络中的组播通信成为可能。部分量子通信机制可在室温下实现，无需依赖超低温系统。这意味着量子通信的商业影响将比量子计算机更早显现。量子网络需要与当前已部署的经典网络生态系统集成，并通过新能力对其进行增强。经典计算机与网络必须能够利用量子网络提供的新型安全通信能力。为实现这种互操作性，需要开发关于量子网络使用的适当软件抽象层。本文研究了量子网络可提供的软件抽象类型，以及这些新抽象所能支持的应用类型。