Too much entanglement? Quantum networks can suffer from 'selfish routing,' study shows

A new study reveals that quantum networks—critical for a future quantum internet—can suffer from "selfish routing," where excessive entanglement distribution degrades overall performance by creating bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Researchers found that nodes prioritizing their own entanglement needs disrupt global network optimization, mirroring classical internet congestion but with uniquely quantum consequences like decoherence and lost qubits. The problem arises when intermediate nodes hoard entanglement for local tasks, starving distant connections and reducing end-to-end transmission rates, particularly in large-scale or heterogeneous network topologies. Simulations showed that even small deviations from cooperative routing protocols can cut network capacity by up to 40%, highlighting the need for adaptive quantum resource management strategies. Experts propose dynamic entanglement allocation algorithms and incentive-based protocols to mitigate selfish behavior, ensuring scalable, reliable quantum communication for applications like secure messaging and distributed quantum computing.