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  • Open Access

Anonymous and private parameter estimation in networks of quantum sensors

Jarn de Jong1, Santiago Scheiner2, Naomi R. Solomons2, Ziad Chaoui1,*, Damian Markham2, and Anna Pappa1

  • *Contact author: ziad.chaoui@tu-berlin.de
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Phys. Rev. Applied 24, 054053 – Published 18 November, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/lbfk-cykl

Abstract

Anonymity and privacy are two key properties of modern communication networks. In quantum networks, distributed quantum sensing has emerged as a powerful use case, with applications to clock synchronization, detecting gravitational effects, and more. In this work, we develop a new protocol that, for the first time, combines the different cryptographic properties of anonymity and privacy for the task of distributed parameter estimation. That is, we present a protocol that allows a selected subset of network participants to anonymously collaborate in estimating the average of their private parameters. Crucially, this is achieved without disclosing either the individual parameter values or the identities of the participants, neither to each other nor to the broader network.

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Outline

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Phys. Rev. Applied 24, 054053– Published 18 November, 2025
  • Received 17 July 2025
  • Revised 14 October 2025
  • Accepted 24 October 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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