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Chip-Based Quantum Key Distribution Could Secure High-Speed Networks

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A research team at the University of Bristol has demonstrated chip-based devices that contain all the optical components necessary for quantum key distribution (QKD). The team showed that secure quantum key exchange could be accomplished between two chip-based devices measuring just 6 × 2 mm over a fiber network with links up to 200 km. The researchers used mass-manufacturable, monolithically integrated transmitters to demonstrate their accessible, quantum-ready communication platform.

The new QKD devices are based on the same semiconductor technology found in smartphones and computers. Instead of wires to guide electricity, they contain circuits that control the photonic signals necessary for QKD. Nanoscale components in the chips make it possible to reduce the size and power consumption of QKD while maintaining high-speed performance.

New chip-based devices contain all the optical components necessary for quantum key distribution. The cost-effective platform was designed to facilitate citywide networks. Courtesy of Henry Semenenko, University of Bristol.
New chip-based devices contain all the optical components necessary for quantum key distribution. The cost-effective platform was designed to facilitate citywide networks. Courtesy of Henry Semenenko, University of Bristol.

The researchers designed the new platform to facilitate citywide networks and decrease the number of connections required between users. “Our platform allows single users to connect to a centralized node that enables secure communication with every other user,” researcher Henry Semenenko said. “As quantum networks develop, the centralized node will offer crucial infrastructure that will eventually support more complex communication protocols.”

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The researchers demonstrated their new chip-based devices with a proof-of-principle experiment in which they emulated a 200-km fiber network at the University of Bristol Quantum Engineering Technology Labs. Using two independent chip devices, they showed that error rates and speed were comparable to state-of-the-art commercial components.

“We showed that these chip-based devices can be used to produce quantum effects even when photons were generated by different devices,” Semenenko said. “This is vital for quantum networks where each user will control their own devices that are distributed around a city.”

The researchers plan to make the system more practical by developing application-specific hardware. They will then use the fiber optic network in place around the city of Bristol to create a model metropolitan network with many users.

“With its densely packed optical components, our chip-based platform offers a level of precise control and complexity not achievable with alternatives,” Semenenko said. “It will allow users to access a secure network with a cost-effective device the same size as the routers we use today to access the internet.”

The research was published in Optica, a publication of OSA, The Optical Society (www.doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.379679).   

Published: March 2020
Glossary
quantum
The term quantum refers to the fundamental unit or discrete amount of a physical quantity involved in interactions at the atomic and subatomic scales. It originates from quantum theory, a branch of physics that emerged in the early 20th century to explain phenomena observed on very small scales, where classical physics fails to provide accurate explanations. In the context of quantum theory, several key concepts are associated with the term quantum: Quantum mechanics: This is the branch of...
quantum key distribution
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a method of secure communication that utilizes principles from quantum mechanics to establish a shared secret key between two parties, typically referred to as Alice and Bob, while detecting any potential eavesdropping attempts by a third party, commonly known as Eve. The fundamental principle behind QKD is the use of quantum properties, such as the superposition principle and the no-cloning theorem, to enable the distribution of cryptographic keys in a...
optical fiber
Optical fiber is a thin, flexible, transparent strand or filament made of glass or plastic used for transmitting light signals over long distances with minimal loss of signal quality. It serves as a medium for conveying information in the form of light pulses, typically in the realm of telecommunications, networking, and data transmission. The core of an optical fiber is the central region through which light travels. It is surrounded by a cladding layer that has a lower refractive index than...
Research & TechnologyeducationEuropeUniversity of BristolLight SourcesOpticsquantumquantum communicationsquantum key distributionfiber opticsoptical fiberCommunicationsnetwork securityEuro News

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