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The goal of the Winter School is to provide introductory tutorials at all levels in topics that are new to the participants, who include CQN students, postdocs, faculty, CQN industry partners, other outside qualified persons (including students at non-CQN schools), and industry and government scientists.  

Each course is co-developed and co-taught by two people – a lead instructor and a co-instructor. Co-instructors are graduate students and postdocs. This arrangement, based on a program developed a decade ago by Michael Raymer and Judith Eisen (The Science Literacy Program at University of Oregon, https://scilit.uoregon.edu), has two purposes: to mentor students who wish to learn best practices in teaching under the mentorship of an experienced instructor, and to improve the quality of the short course by adopting best practices in inquiry-based teaching with the active participation of the co-instructor.

Course Descriptions

The Physics Behind the Quantum Internet: A Gentle Introduction (Level 1-2)
Michael Raymer and Francesca Sansavini
January 5, 2026 | 11:00AM - 2:30PM EST

This course is a 1-2 level introduction to quantum information and common applications of the quantum internet. From polarization states to qubits to quantum teleportation, this course covers the foundations of the quantum internet and how we can begin to understand the key points with a minimum of mathematics.

Getting up to Speed on Quantum Networks: Modes, States, Transformations and Measurements (Level 3)
Saikat Guha and Gabe Richardson
January 5, 2026 | 3:00PM - 6:30PM EST

Information in a Photon (Level 3-4)
Anthony Brady and Jack Postlewaite
January 6, 2026 | 11:00AM - 2:30PM EST

Information in a Photon is a level 3 course designed to provide an overview of the information theoretic properties of the quantum-limited regimes for optical communication. We will understand what optical communications is and the cutting edge applications such as deep space optical communications. Technical topics will cover the basics of modulation, detection, receiver design, classical and classical-quantum communication channels.

Principles of Quantum Networks and Quantum Network Testbeds (Level 2)
Don Towsley and Matheus Guedes De Andrade
January 6, 2026 | 3:00PM - 6:30PM EST

Quantum networks are complex systems formed by the interconnection of multiple components. Developing quantum networks that enable efficient quantum communication requires a holistic understanding of how systemic behavior emerges from the interconnection of these components. In this setting, this level 2 course provides an introductory overview of the fundamental principles that guide the development of quantum networks from a systems perspective. We will discuss quantum network architectures, explore the similarities and differences between classical and quantum networks, introduce resource allocation problems in quantum networks, and delve into quantum network tomography and management.

Prerequisites:

• Algorithms and network protocols (undergraduate level)
• Linear algebra (undergraduate level)
• Probability theory and statistics (undergraduate level)

Error Correction for Quantum Networks (Level 3)
Narayanan Rengaswamy, Michele Pacenti, and Sijie Cheng
January 7, 2026 | 11:00AM - 2:30PM EST

The short course will introduce the fundamentals of classical and quantum error correction using visual elements as well as necessary linear algebra. The course will start with the basics of classical error correction, linear block codes, parity-check matrices, syndrome, standard array decoding and finish the first part with a discussion of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and iterative decoders. Then the course will explain the basics of quantum error correction and draw comparisons to the concepts introduced for classical error correction. There will be discussions on the circuits that must be implemented to enable quantum error correction. The course will end with a discussion of how these error correction techniques bring advantages to quantum networks, e.g., enabling code-based entanglement distillation protocols in quantum repeaters.

Prerequisites: The course will be aimed at Level 3 (upper division UG or beginning graduate quantum) with the following expectations on background knowledge:

• Fundamentals of linear algebra – vectors, inner products, matrices, row space, column space, null space, rank, matrix-vector products, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, unitary matrices, Hermitian matrices, complex numbers (basics)
• Familiarity with binary arithmetic such as AND, OR, XOR, NOT on binary vectors
• An understanding of probability, conditional probability, Bayes’ rule
• Basics of qubits and quantum gates – representation of qubits as vectors and gates as matrices (over complex numbers); we will recap this quickly during the course

Quantum Memories for Quantum Networks (Level 3)
Edo Waks and TBA
January 7, 2026 | 3:00PM - 6:30PM EST

Quantum networks rely on optically active spin qubits that serve as quantum memories and strongly interact with light. This level-3 tutorial will introduce the fundamental physics governing light–matter interactions between spin qubits and photons, and explain how these interactions enable the distribution of entanglement and the implementation of large-scale quantum network protocols. We will develop the basic mathematical formalism describing spin-photon entanglement and entanglement distribution via optical Bell-state measurements. The tutorial will then survey key physical platforms for spin-based quantum memories, including color centers, trapped ions, and quantum dots, highlighting their respective advantages and limitations for quantum networking. Finally, we will discuss the essential experimental infrastructure required to interconnect these systems while maintaining quantum coherence and fidelity.

Introduction to Quantum Repeaters (Level 3)
Filip Rozpedek, Stav Haldar, and Prateek Mantri
January 8, 2026 | 11:00AM - 2:30PM EST

This level-3 short course provides a focused introduction to the principles and architectures of quantum repeaters, covering the physical and operational primitives that enable long-distance quantum communication. It begins with quantum memories and photonic interfaces, then moves to core repeater operations such as teleportation, swapping, distillation, error correction, and link propagation. The course examines matter-based and all-photonic repeater designs, their performance, limitations, and regions of advantage.

Quantum Network Integrated Devices and Systems (Level 3)
Shelbi Jenkins and Wyatt Wallis
January 8, 2026 | 3:00PM - 6:30PM EST

This Level-2 course introduces the fundamentals of waveguides and photonic devices, with a focus on their current and emerging roles in quantum networking systems. We will review key concepts in electromagnetic theory and nonlinear optics, emphasizing how these principles support the generation and distribution of EPR pairs across quantum networks. The course will also examine the design, fabrication, and material considerations involved in developing integrated photonic devices for quantum applications. Finally, we will explore device-level methods for verifying simulated EPR-pair distribution, along with state-of-the-art technologies for EPR-pair generation, manipulation, and quantum memory storage.

Integrated Photonics Platforms for Quantum Networks (Level 3)
Marko Lončar and Guanhao Huang
January 9, 2026 | 11:00AM - 2:30PM EST

This course offered at level 3 provides a survey of the latest advances in several popular material platforms for integrated photonics with a focus on their relevance to the development of long-distance quantum networks. Platforms addressed in this course will include silicon, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, lithium niobate, III-V semiconductors, etc. The course will highlight key performance metrics of components for photonic control that have been demonstrated on each platform. Additionally, the state of source and detector integration in each platform will also be addressed. Components of particular interest to quantum networking applications, such as single photon detectors and sources, will be discussed in detail. Time and interest permitting, instructors will discuss key existing challenges, such as material quality and fabrication limitations, for select platforms, and highlight opportunities for further development/work.

Prerequisites:

• Exposure to undergraduate electromagnetism, semiconductor device physics, and quantum mechanics.
• Both sessions on Jan 5 (Raymer and Sansavini; Guha and Richardson) are recommended as a quantum optics review and for a big picture introduction to quantum networks.
• The afternoon session on Jan 8 (Jenkins and Wallis) is also recommended, since there will likely be some overlap with the network hardware components covered in that course.

Exploring and Designing Quantum Networks via Digital Twin Simulations (Level 2)
Dirk Englund, Kfir Sulimany, and Shi-Yuan Ma
January 9, 2026 | 3:00PM - 5:00PM EST