Efficient routing and spectrum allocation in arbitrary flex-grid entanglement networks

As practical quantum networks approach large-scale deployment, the need for efficient user-to-user frequency allocation is increasing, yet current approaches only provide partial solutions to the routing and spectrum allocation problem for an arbitrary quantum network. We address this challenge for repeater-less flex-grid quantum networks based on hyperentangled photons using an efficient three-stage pipeline combining leading tools in classical networking with recent advances in numerical optimization. First, double instantiations of Yen's algorithm obtain low-loss route candidates between each pair of users and the entanglement sources. Second, the advanced process optimizer (APOPT) or an exhaustive search obtains frequency channel allocations that maximize distribution rates under fidelity constraints. Finally, the constraint programming solver using satisfiability methods (CP-SAT) assigns specific frequency bins to each link, ensuring that there is no contention between frequencies from different sources. We numerically demonstrate this approach on a representative ring network, a Manhattan incumbent local exchange carrier topology, and a variety of randomly generated networks with up to 20 sources and 20 entangled links. Overall, this pipeline provides an efficient heuristic workflow for broadband entanglement distribution, applicable to arbitrarily connected quantum networks integrated within the existing lightwave infrastructure.