Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining a multi-bit value, adjusting an orbital angular momentum of a photon according to the multi-bit value, and generating a quantum entangled pair of photons based on the photon, wherein the quantum entangled pair of photons includes the orbital angular momentum according to the multi-bit value. A quantum state is applied to the quantum entangled pair of photons, while preserving the orbital angular momentum according to the multi-bit value. A photon of the quantum entangled pair of photons is directed to an addressable memory element adapted to store a number of entangled pairs of photons including the quantum entangled pair of photons. The photons of the entangled pair of photons are retrievable from the addressable memory element according to the multi-bit value to obtain a retrieved entangled pair of photons having the quantum state. Other embodiments are disclosed.