Physicist Pan Jianwei and his team have demonstrated device-independent quantum key distribution over 100 kilometers using single atoms, helping to close the gap between lab experiments and real-world applications. The breakthrough enhances security through the quantum-mechanical behavior of entangled atoms, protecting quantum communication systems from real-world vulnerabilities even if devices are flawed or tampered with.
Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China created quantum links between atoms using single light particles, or photons. By comparing the atoms’ states at each end, the team generated identical strings of 0s and 1s—a shared secret key for encryption. What sets the experiment apart is the approach, known as device-independent quantum key distribution (DI-QKD), which would still work securely even if the devices were flawed or had been tampered with.
The method derives its security from the quantum-mechanical behaviour of the entangled atoms, protecting against the real-world vulnerabilities that have long challenged quantum communication systems. DI-QKD had previously only been demonstrated over short distances in the laboratory, the researchers wrote, adding that their study helped to “close the gap between proof-of-principle experiments and real-world applications”.
This achievement marks a step toward practical quantum communication, potentially advancing encryption technologies in national security. The experiment, led by physicist Pan Jianwei, was published on February 6, 2026.