Single-photon teleportation achieved between distant quantum dots for the first time

International researchers led by Paderborn University achieved the first-ever teleportation of a single photon’s polarization state between two physically separated quantum dots, marking a pivotal step toward quantum internet development. The breakthrough demonstrates quantum teleportation—a core requirement for long-distance quantum communication—using solid-state quantum dots as both photon sources and memory nodes, overcoming previous distance and stability limitations. Experiments confirmed high-fidelity state transfer, preserving the photon’s quantum information across the separation, a critical milestone for scalable quantum networks that rely on reliable entanglement distribution. Unlike prior teleportation tests using trapped ions or photons in free space, this method leverages semiconductor quantum dots, which are compatible with existing chip-based technologies, potentially accelerating real-world deployment. This advancement addresses a major bottleneck in quantum networking: maintaining coherence during teleportation, bringing functional quantum repeaters and a global quantum internet closer to practical realization.