Entanglement distribution in quantum networks via swapping of partially entangled states

Abstract: The entanglement swapping protocol (ESP) is a fundamental primitive for distributing quantum correlations across distant nodes in a quantum network. Recent studies have demonstrated that even when the involved qubit pairs are only partially entangled, it is still possible to concentrate and transmit entanglement via Bell-basis measurements. In this work, we extend these ideas to quantum networks with various topologies - including linear, star, and hybrid configurations - by analyzing the application of the ESP to initially partially entangled states. We investigate how entanglement evolves under such protocols by examining the transformations of the initial states and evaluating the success probabilities for generating maximally entangled states at the output. Our results offer new insights into the dynamics of the entanglement distribution in quantum networks and provide practical guidelines for designing robust quantum communication strategies under realistic conditions.