Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:2408.01754 · Physical Review A

Impact of polarization mode dispersion on entangled photon distribution

V.E. Rodimin, Konstantin Kravtsov, Rui Ming Chua, Gianluca De Santis, Aleksei Ponasenko, Yury Kurochkin, Alexander Ling, James A. Grieve

Published Aug 20, 2025• 4 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The polarization mode dispersion (PMD) in optical fibers poses a major challenge for maintaining the fidelity of quantum states for quantum communications. In this work, a comprehensive model linking the probability of quantum measurement errors (infidelity) to PMD is developed and validated by experimental measurements of differential group delay and quantum bit error rate (QBER). Our research proposes effective methods to mitigate PMD effects for broadband entangled photons and evaluates the impact of higher-order PMD effects. The model provides an experimentally verified framework for the optimization of commercial quantum key distribution systems in deployed fiber-optic lines.

DOI
10.1103/l2l7-b98w

Related papers

A detailed model for polarization mode dispersion in broadband polarization-encoded QKD

V.E. Rodimin, Konstantin Kravtsov, Rui Ming Chua +5 more

We study Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) in fiber-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) using a broadspectrum polarization-entangled photon source. We analyze wavelength-dependent polarization transformations over 10 km deployed fiber channels, with measurements spanning one year of evolution. By examining the rotation of polarization states on the Poincare sphere and projecting them along a PMD trajectory onto a predefined state within a measurement basis, we derived a simple new formula that accurately links the measurement error probability to finite signal bandwidth and the observed differential group delay (DGD). Finally, we propose strategies to mitigate the PMD effect for entangled-based QKD by optimizing the orientation of the measurement bases and by performing the optimal spectral filtering of the source.

Photonics for Quantum (PfQ)•Aug 2, 2024•0 citations

Decoherence modeling of polarization mode dispersion for one- and two-photon states in optical fibers

Yiwen Liu, Yian Lei

We investigate the effects of polarization mode dispersion (PMD) on the propagation of single- and two-photon states in single-mode fibers. We look at PMD as decoherence due to the system's coupling with the bosonic environment involved in optical birefringence and a thermal bath, respectively. The evolution of the polarization density matrix is described by a master equation, and its solution is used to calculate the differential group delay (DGD) due to the fiber. The PMD effects on the dynamics of EPR states in optical fibers are investigated by using the same method. In both the short-time and long-time regimes, we find that PMD-induced and thermal-induced decoherence behave similarly.

Optics Continuum•Jan 31, 2022•1 citation

Analysis of polarization mode dispersion effect on quantum state decoherence in fiber-based optical quantum communication

Shamsolah Salemian, Shahram Mohammadnejad

The implementation of quantum communication protocols in long optical fibers is limited by several decoherence mechanisms. In this contribution we review this mechanisms and analysis their effect on the quantum states. Because of asymmetry in the real fibers, the two orthogonal polarization modes are propagated at different phase and group velocities. The difference in group velocities results in Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD). It is created by random fluctuations of the residual birefringence in optical fibers, such that the State of Polarization (SOP) of an optical signal will turn randomly over time, in an unpredictable way. In optical quantum communication, quantum state measurement is necessary. The bottleneck for communication between far apart nodes is the increasing of the error probability with the length of the channel connecting the nodes. For an optical fiber, the value of absorption and depolarization of a photon (i.e., the qubit) increases exponentially with the length of the fiber.

International Conference on Telecommunications•Jan 1, 2011•1 citation

Loss of polarization entanglement in a fiber-optic system with polarization mode dispersion in one optical path

Misha Brodsky, Elizabeth C. George, Cristian Antonelli +1 more

We characterize theoretically and experimentally the degradation of polarization entanglement in a fiber-optic entanglement distribution system where one of the optical fibers is exposed to the effects of polarization mode dispersion (PMD). We show gradual reduction of entanglement with increasing PMD and find that the highest PMD tolerance is achieved when the bandwidth of the pump used to generate the entangled photons in a χ((3)) process is approximately half the bandwidth of the quantum channels.

arXiv:1011.5928•Optics Letters•Dec 21, 2010•75 citations

Efficient entanglement distillation for quantum channels with polarization mode dispersion

Liangzhong Ruan, Brian T. Kirby, Michael Brodsky +1 more

Quantum entanglement shared by remote network nodes serves as a valuable resource for promising applications in distributed computing, cryptography, and sensing. However, distributing high-quality entanglement via fiber-optic routes could be challenging due to the various decoherence mechanisms in fibers. In particular, one of the primary polarization decoherence mechanisms in optical fibers is polarization mode dispersion (PMD), which is the distortion of optical pulses by randomly varying birefringences. To mitigate the effect of decoherence in entangled particles, quantum entanglement distillation (QED) algorithms have been proposed. One particular class, the recurrence QED algorithms, stands out because it has relatively relaxed requirements both on the size of the quantum circuits involved and on the initial quality of entanglement between particles. However, because the number of required particles grows exponentially with the number of distillation rounds, an efficient recurrence algorithm needs to converge quickly. We present a recurrence QED algorithm designed for photonic qubit pairs affected by PMD-degraded channels. Our proposed algorithm achieves the optimal fidelity as well as the optimal success probability (conditioned on the fact that optimal fidelity is achieved) in every round of distillation. The attainment of the maximal fidelity improves the convergence speed of fidelity with respect to the number of distillation rounds from linear to quadratic and, hence, significantly reduces the number of rounds. Combined with the fact that the optimal success probability is achieved, the proposed algorithm provides an efficient method to distribute entangled states with a high fidelity via optical fibers.

arXiv:1706.07464•Physical Review A•Mar 19, 2021•20 citations

Broadband characterization of polarization mode dispersion for quantum communication channels

Vadim Rodimin, Konstantin Kravtsov, Rui Ming Chua +5 more

We present a method for characterizing depolarization in fiber channels carrying broadband polarization-encoded optical signals. Wavelength-dependent polarization mode dispersion maps each input polarization to a trajectory on the Poincaré sphere; we show that the singular value decomposition of the band-averaged rotation matrix yields, in closed form, the optimal input states, the associated mutually unbiased measurement bases, and the resulting projection error probabilities. The three singular values provide a compact, bandwidth-dependent channel signature that distinguishes first- from higher-order dispersion, and yield the bandwidth at which the worst-case error probability reaches 3% as a practical filtering budget. We perform a second-order analysis of the band average that treats the two higher-order mechanisms: variation of the differential group delay at a fixed principal-state axis and wander of that axis with wavelength. We characterize 12 deployed fiber links in Masdar City and demonstrate mitigation by concatenating two channels through a single polarization controller, a step towards nonlocal compensation. The analysis is implemented in an openly available Python library for fiber-channel characterization.

quant-pharXiv:2607.03202•Jul 6, 2026•0 citations
The polarization mode dispersion (PMD) in optical fibers poses a major challenge for maintaining the fidelity of quantum states for quantum communications. In this work, a comprehensive model linking the probability of quantum measurement errors (infidelity) to PMD is developed and validated by experimental measurements of differential group delay and quantum bit error rate (QBER). Our research proposes effective methods to mitigate PMD effects for broadband entangled photons and evaluates the impact of higher-order PMD effects. The model provides an experimentally verified framework for the optimization of commercial quantum key distribution systems in deployed fiber-optic lines.
We study Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) in fiber-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) using a broadspectrum polarization-entangled photon source. We analyze wavelength-dependent polarization transformations over 10 km deployed fiber channels, with measurements spanning one year of evolution. By examining the rotation of polarization states on the Poincare sphere and projecting them along a PMD trajectory onto a predefined state within a measurement basis, we derived a simple new formula that accurately links the measurement error probability to finite signal bandwidth and the observed differential group delay (DGD). Finally, we propose strategies to mitigate the PMD effect for entangled-based QKD by optimizing the orientation of the measurement bases and by performing the optimal spectral filtering of the source.
We investigate the effects of polarization mode dispersion (PMD) on the propagation of single- and two-photon states in single-mode fibers. We look at PMD as decoherence due to the system's coupling with the bosonic environment involved in optical birefringence and a thermal bath, respectively. The evolution of the polarization density matrix is described by a master equation, and its solution is used to calculate the differential group delay (DGD) due to the fiber. The PMD effects on the dynamics of EPR states in optical fibers are investigated by using the same method. In both the short-time and long-time regimes, we find that PMD-induced and thermal-induced decoherence behave similarly.
The implementation of quantum communication protocols in long optical fibers is limited by several decoherence mechanisms. In this contribution we review this mechanisms and analysis their effect on the quantum states. Because of asymmetry in the real fibers, the two orthogonal polarization modes are propagated at different phase and group velocities. The difference in group velocities results in Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD). It is created by random fluctuations of the residual birefringence in optical fibers, such that the State of Polarization (SOP) of an optical signal will turn randomly over time, in an unpredictable way. In optical quantum communication, quantum state measurement is necessary. The bottleneck for communication between far apart nodes is the increasing of the error probability with the length of the channel connecting the nodes. For an optical fiber, the value of absorption and depolarization of a photon (i.e., the qubit) increases exponentially with the length of the fiber.
We characterize theoretically and experimentally the degradation of polarization entanglement in a fiber-optic entanglement distribution system where one of the optical fibers is exposed to the effects of polarization mode dispersion (PMD). We show gradual reduction of entanglement with increasing PMD and find that the highest PMD tolerance is achieved when the bandwidth of the pump used to generate the entangled photons in a χ((3)) process is approximately half the bandwidth of the quantum channels.
Quantum entanglement shared by remote network nodes serves as a valuable resource for promising applications in distributed computing, cryptography, and sensing. However, distributing high-quality entanglement via fiber-optic routes could be challenging due to the various decoherence mechanisms in fibers. In particular, one of the primary polarization decoherence mechanisms in optical fibers is polarization mode dispersion (PMD), which is the distortion of optical pulses by randomly varying birefringences. To mitigate the effect of decoherence in entangled particles, quantum entanglement distillation (QED) algorithms have been proposed. One particular class, the recurrence QED algorithms, stands out because it has relatively relaxed requirements both on the size of the quantum circuits involved and on the initial quality of entanglement between particles. However, because the number of required particles grows exponentially with the number of distillation rounds, an efficient recurrence algorithm needs to converge quickly. We present a recurrence QED algorithm designed for photonic qubit pairs affected by PMD-degraded channels. Our proposed algorithm achieves the optimal fidelity as well as the optimal success probability (conditioned on the fact that optimal fidelity is achieved) in every round of distillation. The attainment of the maximal fidelity improves the convergence speed of fidelity with respect to the number of distillation rounds from linear to quadratic and, hence, significantly reduces the number of rounds. Combined with the fact that the optimal success probability is achieved, the proposed algorithm provides an efficient method to distribute entangled states with a high fidelity via optical fibers.
We present a method for characterizing depolarization in fiber channels carrying broadband polarization-encoded optical signals. Wavelength-dependent polarization mode dispersion maps each input polarization to a trajectory on the Poincaré sphere; we show that the singular value decomposition of the band-averaged rotation matrix yields, in closed form, the optimal input states, the associated mutually unbiased measurement bases, and the resulting projection error probabilities. The three singular values provide a compact, bandwidth-dependent channel signature that distinguishes first- from higher-order dispersion, and yield the bandwidth at which the worst-case error probability reaches 3% as a practical filtering budget. We perform a second-order analysis of the band average that treats the two higher-order mechanisms: variation of the differential group delay at a fixed principal-state axis and wander of that axis with wavelength. We characterize 12 deployed fiber links in Masdar City and demonstrate mitigation by concatenating two channels through a single polarization controller, a step towards nonlocal compensation. The analysis is implemented in an openly available Python library for fiber-channel characterization.