Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)
Qubits in Space
Giuseppe Vallone, G. Bianco, Paolo Villoresi, Francesco Vedovato, Luca Calderaro, Costantino Agnesi, Matteo Schiavon, Alberto Santamanto, Andrea Stanco, V. Luceri, Daniele Dequal
The sharing of qubits along links in Space emerged as a novel arena for realizing experiments on the fundamental aspects of Quantum Mechanics as well as a tool for implementing the protocols of Quantum Communications. The test of Bell's inequalities [1] and the wave-particle duality [2] are some of the most recent examples of the first aspect, while the intercontinental QKD [3] and teleportation on a satellite [4] are remarkable findings of the second one. All these results were achieved using satellites in Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO), orbiting at an altitude of about 500 km.
The sharing of qubits along links in Space emerged as a novel arena for realizing experiments on the fundamental aspects of Quantum Mechanics as well as a tool for implementing the protocols of Quantum Communications. The test of Bell's inequalities [1] and the wave-particle duality [2] are some of the most recent examples of the first aspect, while the intercontinental QKD [3] and teleportation on a satellite [4] are remarkable findings of the second one. All these results were achieved using satellites in Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO), orbiting at an altitude of about 500 km.
Space offers a very unique environment for quantum physics experiments at regimes of distance and velocity not possible on ground. In the recent years there have been a range of theoretical and experimental studies towards the feasibility of performing quantum physics and quantum information science experiments in space. Such a system is possible with today's technologies and would allow to demonstrate the application of quantum secured transmission, and perform quantum optics science tests. In the near term the most promising approach is using a low-earth-orbiting (LEO) satellite either as an independent nano-sat, a piggyback payload on a larger mission, or even on the International Space Station (ISS). I will outline the envisioned quantum experiments and the requirements for the technology.
In the field of quantum communication the teleportation1 of single quanta plays a fundamental role in numerous quantum information-processing protocols. Quantum teleportation allows to faithfully transfer unknown quantum states over arbitrary distances and constitutes a method to circumvent the no-cloning theorem2. Even formally completely independent particles can become entangled via the process of entanglement swapping3. In a future quantum communication network4 this will be of utmost importance, enabling quantum computers to become globally interconnected. In order to prove the feasibility of quantum teleportation under optical link attenuations that will arise in a future space-application scenario, we extended the communication distance to 143 km, employing an optical free-space link between the two Canary Islands of La Palma and Tenerife. This work proofs the feasibility of ground-based freespace quantum teleportation. With our setup we were able to achieve coincidence production rates and fidelities to cope with the optical link attenuation, resulting from various experimental and technical challenges, which will arise in a quantum transmission between a ground-based transmitter and a low-earth-orbiting satellite receiver5. In our experiment we gained an average state fidelity for the teleported quantum states of more than 6 standard deviations beyond the classical limit of 2/3 and a process fidelity of 0.710(42). We expect that many of the features implemented in this experiment will be key blocks for future investigations.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) constitutes the most widespread family of information preservation techniques in the context of Quantum Cryptography. However, these techniques must deal with a series of technological challenges that prevent their efficient implementation, in space, as well as, in exclusively terrestrial configurations. Moreover, the current smallsat con-stellations of Low Earth Orbit (LEO with an altitude of approx. 500 km) added to other satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and geostationary orbits (GEO), plus a large amount of space de-bris present around the planet, have become a serious obstacle for Astronomy. In this work, a classic alternative to QKD is presented, also based on a symmetric key, but with low cost, and high efficiency, which dispenses with all the implementation problems present in the QKD pro-tocols and does not require the use of satellites, and which we will call non-distributable key sharing (NDKS). Due to its low cost, simplicity of implementation, and high efficiency, NDKS is presented as an ideal solution to the problem of cybersecurity in IoT, in general, and fog clouds, in particular.
Quantum physics experiments in space using entangled photons and satellites are within reach of current technology. We propose a series of fundamental quantum physics experiments that make advantageous use of the space infrastructure with specific emphasis on the satellite-based distribution of entangled photon pairs. The experiments are feasible already today and will eventually lead to a Bell-experiment over thousands of kilometers, thus demonstrating quantum correlations over distances which cannot be achieved by purely earth-bound experiments.
Information security is a growing concern in our modern world, where almost everything can be done online. To protect security, classical encryption protocols, such as RSA, are used. These encryption protocols are almost always based on mathematical problems that are computational difficult. Therefore, the security is only valid under limited computational resources, and therefore do not provide provable security. An exception is the one-time pad protocol, which is provably secure but requires an existing shared key that is as long as the information it must encrypt. The exchange of such a key can be challenging, often requiring the two partied to physically meet to exchange the key or the use a trusted courier to physically carry the key on a hard drive. \n \nQuantum key distribution (QKD) offers a solution by utilizing quantum mechanics to grow a secure cryptographic key shared between two distant parties. The quantum nature of the particles used in the exchange ensure that any eavesdropper would leave signs of their presence, allowing the users to precisely quantify the security of the key that is produced. This allows secure generation of a random key which can be used for the one-time pad encryption protocol which, unlike most encryption protocols, does not rely on computational assumptions, and is secure regardless of available computational power. \n \nCurrent implementations of QKD are limited to a single link distance of ≈200 km, preventing implementation of QKD on a global scale, or even between distant cities within a single country, without some additional techniques. One promising solution is the use of orbiting low Earth orbit satellite platforms as trusted nodes in a quantum communications network. The main purpose of this work has been to show the viability of this solution, trough theoretical performance modeling and experimental demonstrations. \n \nThorough numerical simulations have been developed to evaluate the performance and challenges in implementing QKD using a low Earth orbit satellite platform and determine an optimal approach to its implementation. The simulations include a realistic satellite orbit analysis, all expected loss mechanisms, estimates of background contributions and realistic simulation of quantum optical processes. This work addresses the questions of optimal wavelength and beam waist, the effect of the telescope design and pointing error, and the impact of detector degradation due to exposure to radiation in the space environment. The simulation is used to determine the length of secure key for QKD and the performance of fundamental quantum optics experiments such as Bell tests and quantum teleportation. We compare the advantages and disadvantages of uplink and dowlink scenarios, and show that an uplink, despite having reduced performance compared to a downlink, offers more scientific freedom, by allowing changes to the quantum source, and benefits from a simpler satellite design with reduced pointing requirement. This work provides a theoretical foundation for ongoing design and development of quantum systems for satellite implementation of QKD. \n \nIn addition to theoretical analyses, experiments where developed and conducted corresponding to the challenges likely to be faced by a satellite uplink. Two main challenges where identified and experimentally overcome. First, the difficulty of operating in the high loss regime of a satellite uplink, which typically experience losses in the range of 40-50 dB when above 40° of elevation from the horizon, an elevation only reached by half of the satellite passes. This challenge was addressed by demonstrating full QKD protocols at losses exceeding 50 dB. Also, the ability to perform full QKD during the short duration of a satellite pass was shown by replicating the varying loss of archetypal passes and successfully extracting secure keys. Secondly, the difficulty of accurately tracking and pointing to a receiver platform traveling at the high angular speed of a satellite was overcome by successfully exchange quantum signals to a truck traveling at angular speeds exceeding that of a low Earth orbit satellite. This required the design, construction, and implementation of a transmitter system and a quantum receiver system capable of active pointing using a custom pointing system. \n \nAn additional experiment was also performed where we experimentally investigate the feasibility of performing QKD using light scattered by a diffusive screen. A system capable of doing so could be used to create QKD hot-spots, where a QKD source could be aimed at a diffusive screen to allow multiple users to simultaneously exchange secure keys with the source without the need for high precision pointing. \n \nThrough these analyses and experimental demonstrations we evaluated the performance of QKD using a satellite and have shown its technological readiness to be implemented. Implementation of such a system would allow QKD to be performed on a global scale, enabling communications security that is not based on computational assumptions without the need to physically transport the key from one party to the other.
Advances in quantum technologies are giving rise to a revolution in the way fundamental physics questions are explored at the empirical level. At the same time, they are the seeds for future disruptive technological applications of quantum physics. Remarkably, a space-based environment may open many new avenues for exploring and employing quantum physics and technologies. Recently, space missions employing quantum technologies for fundamental or applied studies have been proposed and implemented with stunning results. The combination of quantum physics and its space application is the focus of this review: we cover both the fundamental scientific questions that can be tackled with quantum technologies in space and the possible implementation of these technologies for a variety of academic and commercial purposes.