Cisco Systems revealed a prototype chip designed to network quantum computers together during an announcement on Tuesday. The company also disclosed plans to open a new laboratory in Santa Monica, California, to advance its quantum computing research efforts.

The prototype chip utilizes technology similar to current networking components but serves the specialized purpose of connecting smaller quantum computers into larger systems. Cisco believes this technology will have practical applications before quantum computers become mainstream, such as helping financial companies synchronize trade timing or assisting scientists in meteorite detection.

"There are a whole bunch of use cases," said Vijoy Pandey, senior vice president of Cisco's Outshift innovation incubator. "You need to synchronise clocks and the timestamps on all of these snapshots that are taking place from across the globe."

Cisco joins other major technology companies entering the quantum computing field. Alphabet's Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have announced quantum computing chips recently, while Nvidia plans to establish its own quantum lab. Various startups including PsiQuantum are also securing substantial funding to build quantum systems.

While other companies focus on creating more qubits—the basic unit of quantum computers—Cisco is concentrating on connecting these systems together. The chip was developed in collaboration with researchers from the University of California Santa Barbara.

The technology works by creating quantum entanglement between photon pairs, then sending one photon from each pair to separate quantum computers. This allows the quantum computers to communicate instantaneously regardless of distance—a quantum physics phenomenon Albert Einstein famously called "spooky action at a distance."

Pandey clarified that the chip remains in prototype stage with no established timeline for generating revenue. "To build out that quantum network, the first building block that you need is an entanglement chip. Here's the first building block of that," he explained.

The global quantum computing landscape continues to evolve rapidly. In India, IBM recently partnered with Tata Consultancy Services to install the country's largest quantum computer—a 156-qubit IBM Quantum System Two—at Amaravati's Quantum Valley Tech Park. This development positions India among the select nations with access to advanced quantum computing infrastructure.