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arXiv:2403.12602 · Research

Integrated Distributed Sensing and Quantum Communication Networks

Yuehan Xu, Tao Wang, Peng Huang, Guihua Zeng

Published Jan 1, 2024• 18 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The integration of sensing and communication can achieve ubiquitous sensing while enabling ubiquitous communication. Within the gradually improving global communication, the integrated sensing and communication system based on optical fibers can accomplish various functionalities, such as urban structure imaging, seismic wave detection, and pipeline safety monitoring. With the development of quantum communication, quantum networks based on optical fiber are gradually being established. In this paper, we propose an integrated sensing and quantum network (ISAQN) scheme, which can achieve secure key distribution among multiple nodes and distributed sensing under the standard quantum limit. The continuous variables quantum key distribution protocol and the round-trip multiband structure are adopted to achieve the multinode secure key distribution. Meanwhile, the spectrum phase monitoring protocol is proposed to realize distributed sensing. It determines which node is vibrating by monitoring the frequency spectrum and restores the vibration waveform by monitoring the phase change. The scheme is experimentally demonstrated by simulating the vibration in a star structure network. Experimental results indicate that this multiuser quantum network can achieve a secret key rate of approximately 0.7 Mbits/s for each user under 10-km standard fiber transmission, and its network capacity is 8. In terms of distributed sensing, it can achieve a vibration response bandwidth ranging from 1 Hz to 2 kHz, a strain resolution of 0.50 n ε / Hz , and a spatial resolution of 0.20 m under shot-noise-limited detection. The proposed ISAQN scheme enables simultaneous quantum communication and distributed sensing in a multipoint network, laying a foundation for future large-scale quantum networks and high-precision sensing networks.

DOI
10.34133/research.0416

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The integration of sensing and communication can achieve ubiquitous sensing while enabling ubiquitous communication. Within the gradually improving global communication, the integrated sensing and communication system based on optical fibers can accomplish various functionalities, such as urban structure imaging, seismic wave detection, and pipeline safety monitoring. With the development of quantum communication, quantum networks based on optical fiber are gradually being established. In this paper, we propose an integrated sensing and quantum network (ISAQN) scheme, which can achieve secure key distribution among multiple nodes and distributed sensing under the standard quantum limit. The continuous variables quantum key distribution protocol and the round-trip multiband structure are adopted to achieve the multinode secure key distribution. Meanwhile, the spectrum phase monitoring protocol is proposed to realize distributed sensing. It determines which node is vibrating by monitoring the frequency spectrum and restores the vibration waveform by monitoring the phase change. The scheme is experimentally demonstrated by simulating the vibration in a star structure network. Experimental results indicate that this multiuser quantum network can achieve a secret key rate of approximately 0.7 Mbits/s for each user under 10-km standard fiber transmission, and its network capacity is 8. In terms of distributed sensing, it can achieve a vibration response bandwidth ranging from 1 Hz to 2 kHz, a strain resolution of 0.50 n ε / Hz , and a spatial resolution of 0.20 m under shot-noise-limited detection. The proposed ISAQN scheme enables simultaneous quantum communication and distributed sensing in a multipoint network, laying a foundation for future large-scale quantum networks and high-precision sensing networks.
Communication and sensing technologies play crucial roles in various aspects of modern society. The seamless combination of communication and sensing systems has attracted significant interest in recent years. Without adding core devices, vibration-sensing functions can be integrated to build a quantum network with high efficiency and versatility. In this study, we propose and demonstrate a network architecture that integrates a downstream quantum access network (DQAN) and vibration sensing in optical fibers. By encoding the key information of eight users simultaneously on the sidemode quantum states of a single laser source and successively separating them using a specially designed narrow-bandwidth filter network, we achieved a secure and efficient DQAN with an average key rate of 1.94×10 4 bits per second over an 80 km single-mode fiber. Meanwhile, vibration locations with spatial resolutions of 131, 25, and 4 m at vibration frequencies of 100 Hz, 1 kHz, and 10 kHz, respectively, were implemented using the existing DQAN system infrastructure. The results indicate that the backward probe beam has a negligible effect on the DQAN system. Our integrated architecture provides a viable and cost-effective solution for building a quantum communication sensor network and paves the way for the functionality expansion of quantum communication networks.
The integration of sensing capabilities into secure optical transmission systems is emerging as a pivotal strategy for proactive security threat warning and anomaly detection. However, existing integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) schemes primarily focus on resource sharing, often overlooking the intrinsic security of the communication signals themselves. To address this critical gap, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel, to our knowledge, integrated secure communication and sensing (ISCAS) scheme based on simultaneous chaotic encryption and vibration detection utilizing a specially designed random envelope fluctuation linear frequency modulation signal. This uniquely designed signal serves a dual purpose: its random envelope facilitates physical layer encryption, while its LFM nature enables high-precision sensing. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, a 28 Gb/s on-off keying (OOK) confidential signal is securely transmitted over a 20 km single-mode fiber link. Simultaneously, a 1 kHz sinusoidal vibration applied at the 18 km point is detected and localized with an error of only 11.45 m. Our work validates an integrated solution that concurrently ensures information confidentiality and channel-sensing capability, paving the way for more resilient and intelligent optical networks.
The quantum network makes use of quantum states to transmit data, which will revolutionize classical communication and allow for some breakthrough applications. Quantum key distribution (QKD) is one prominent application of quantum networks, and can protect data transmission through quantum mechanics. In this work, we propose an expandable and cost-effective quantum access network, in which the round-trip structure makes quantum states travel in a circle to carry information, and the multi-band technique is proposed to support multi-user access. Based on the round-trip multi-band quantum access network, we realize multi-user secure key sharing through the continuous-variable QKD (CV-QKD) protocol. Due to the encoding characteristics of CV-QKD, the quadrature components in different frequency bands can be used to transmit key information for different users. The feasibility of this scheme is confirmed by comprehensive noise analysis, and is verified by a proof-of-principle experiment. The results show that each user can achieve excess noise suppression and 600 bit/s level secure key generation under 30 km standard fiber transmission. Such networks have the ability of multi-user access theoretically and could be expanded by plugging in simple modules. Therefore, it paves the way for near-term large-scale quantum secure networks.
The quantum network makes use of the quantum states to transmit data, which will revolutionize classical communication and allow for some breakthrough applications. The quantum key distribution (QKD) is one prominent application of quantum networks, and can protect the data transmission through quantum mechanics. In this work, we propose an expandable and cost-effective quantum access network, in which the round-trip structure makes quantum states travel in a circle to carry the information, and the multi-band technique is proposed to support multi-user access. Based on the round-trip multi-band quantum access network, we realize multi-user secure key sharing through the continuous-variable QKD (CV-QKD) protocol. Due to the encoding characteristics of CV-QKD, the quadrature components in different frequency bands can be used to transmit key information for different users. The feasibility of this scheme is confirmed by comprehensive noise analysis, and is verified by a proof-of-principle experiment. The results show that each user can achieve excess noise suppression and 600 bps level secure key generation under 30 km standard fiber transmission. Such networks have the ability of multi-user access theoretically and could be expanded by plugging in simple modules. Therefore, it paves the way for near-term large-scale quantum secure networks.
In this paper, we explore a hybrid quantum communication protocol that operates concurrently over fiber optic and atmospheric channels. This new protocol addresses challenges in urban settings where laying optical fiber may be impractical or costly. By integrating the subcarrier wave (SCW) quantum key distribution (QKD) with phase coding, our approach enhances the flexibility and reliability of quantum communication systems. We have developed and tested an atmospheric optical module equipped with an auto-tuning system to ensure precise optical axis alignment, crucial for minimizing signal loss in turbulent environments. Experimental results demonstrate stable sifted key rates and low quantum bit error rate (QBER) across various channel lengths, confirming the efficacy of our hybrid protocol in securing communication over diverse transmission environments.
Twin-field quantum key distribution (TFQKD) promises ultralong secure key distribution which surpasses the rate distance limit and can reduce the number of the trusted nodes in long-haul quantum network. Tremendous efforts have been made toward implementation of TFQKD, among which, the secure key with finite size analysis can distribute more than 500 km in the lab and in the field. Here, we demonstrate the sending-or-not-sending TFQKD experimentally, achieving a secure key distribution with finite size analysis over a 658 km ultra-low-loss optical fiber. Meanwhile, in a TFQKD system, any phase fluctuation due to temperature variation and ambient variation during the channel must be recorded and compensated, and all this phase information can then be utilized to sense the channel vibration perturbations. With our quantum key distribution system, we recovered the external vibrational perturbations generated by artificial vibroseis on both the quantum and frequency calibration link, and successfully located the perturbation position in the frequency calibration fiber with a resolution better than 1 km. Our results not only set a new distance record of quantum key distribution, but also demonstrate that the redundant information of TFQKD can be used for remote sensing of the channel vibration, which can find applications in earthquake detection and landslide monitoring besides secure communication.