US researchers achieve first open-air quantum link across 13 miles in New York

On Long Island, in the space between two of the nation's premier research institutions, something moved through the air that had never successfully traveled that way before. Researchers at Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory sent quantum information wirelessly across thirteen miles of open sky—the first time this had been accomplished at such a distance in the United States. The achievement marks a shift in how scientists think about building quantum networks, moving beyond the fiber-optic cables that have anchored the field toward a future where quantum data might travel freely through the atmosphere.

Quantum networks have existed for years, but they have been tethered. The nation's longest quantum network, which connects institutions across the Northeast, relies on physical fiber-optic lines buried in the ground or strung along existing infrastructure. These cables work, but they are expensive to install, difficult to route through urban areas, and limited to the paths that physical infrastructure allows. A wireless quantum link changes the equation. It opens the possibility of connecting distant locations without the cost and logistical burden of laying new fiber, and it suggests a path toward a more flexible, distributed quantum internet.

The breakthrough used free-space optical technology—essentially, sending quantum information encoded in photons through the open air from one location to another. The researchers transmitted quantum states across the thirteen-mile gap between Stony Brook and Brookhaven, demonstrating that the photons could survive the journey and retain their quantum properties. This is harder than it sounds. Photons traveling through the atmosphere encounter turbulence, dust, moisture, and other interference. They scatter and degrade. The fact that quantum information—which is fragile by nature—could be preserved across that distance represents a genuine technical accomplishment.

The wireless link complements rather than replaces the existing fiber-based infrastructure. The two systems work together: fiber networks provide stable, high-capacity connections between nearby nodes, while free-space optical links can bridge gaps where fiber is impractical or expensive. For a quantum internet to become real, both approaches will likely be necessary. The fiber backbone will handle the heavy lifting in dense urban areas, while wireless links will extend the network to remote locations or across obstacles that would make fiber installation prohibitively difficult.

What makes this moment significant is not just the technical feat but what it suggests about the trajectory of quantum networking. For years, the field has been constrained by infrastructure limitations. Now, researchers have demonstrated that those constraints can be loosened. The wireless capability opens new possibilities for how quantum networks might be designed and deployed. Universities, research labs, and eventually commercial entities could connect to quantum networks without waiting for fiber to be installed. The technology could enable quantum sensors, quantum computers, and quantum communication systems to be distributed across geography in ways that were previously impossible.

The researchers at Stony Brook and Brookhaven are not claiming to have solved every problem. Free-space optical links have limitations—weather can interfere with transmission, and the technology works best over moderate distances. But they have proven the concept works at a meaningful scale. The thirteen-mile link is long enough to be practically useful, and the success suggests that longer distances may be achievable with refinement. The next phase will involve improving reliability, extending range, and integrating wireless links more seamlessly into the broader quantum network infrastructure.

For now, the photons have made their journey across Long Island, carrying quantum information through open air. It is a small step in the grand scheme of building a quantum internet, but it is a step that moves the field away from dependence on buried cables and toward a more flexible, distributed future. The wireless quantum link between Stony Brook and Brookhaven stands as proof that quantum networks need not be bound to the ground.