Quantum technologies rely on phenomena such as superposition, entanglement, and quantum interference to unlock unprecedented capabilities. Over the past decade, we have witnessed significant progress in quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum computing prototypes, and entanglement-based networking. However, numerous technical, theoretical, and engineering challenges remain before these systems can be fully scaled, secured, and standardized.

With growing interest in quantum internet architectures, hybrid quantum-classical systems, and quantum AI, the need for cross-disciplinary research and global collaboration has never been greater. This Research Topic aims to map the evolving terrain of quantum innovation.

The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a comprehensive platform for exploring the state-of-the-art and future directions of quantum technologies. As quantum systems become increasingly integrated into practical applications, it is essential to build a shared understanding across subdomains of communication, computation, and control.

This collection seeks to highlight innovative solutions to current challenges—such as scalability, error correction, decoherence, quantum channel modeling, and integration with classical systems. Furthermore, it aims to foster collaboration between theoretical and experimental communities to accelerate the deployment of quantum-enabled infrastructure and services.

We welcome original research articles, perspectives, reviews, methods, and case studies addressing (but not limited to) the following themes:

Quantum communications

Quantum networks and the quantum internet

Quantum cloud and distributed quantum computing

Quantum repeaters, switches, and routers

Scheduling and distribution of entangled states

Quantum cryptography

Quantum key distribution

Classical post-processing for quantum key distribution

Quantum secret sharing

Security proofs of quantum cryptographic methods

Quantum tomography and quantum state discrimination

Quantum information theory

Quantum computing, algorithms, and applications

Quantum simulation

Quantum machine learning

Quantum error correction

Quantum synchronization

Quantum random number generation

Quantum hardware

Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices

Quantum algorithms and protocols

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Next-Generation Quantum Technologies: Communication, Computing, and Beyond