Abstract Quantum clock synchronization (QCS) can measure out the high-precision clock difference among distant users, which breaks through the standard quantum limit by employing the properties of quantum entanglement. Currently, the wavelength division multiplexed QCS network has been demonstrated with a spontaneous parametric down-conversion entangled photon source. In this paper, we propose a more efficient QCS network scheme with the wavelength multicasting entangled photon source, which can decrease at least 25% of wavelength channel consumption under the identical network scale. Afterwards, a four node QCS network is demonstrated, where the wavelength multicasting entangled photon source is utilized with dual-pumped four-wave mixing silicon chip. The experimental results show that the measured time deviation is 3.4 ps with an average time of 640 s via the multiple fiber links of more than 10 km.
Abstract Quantum clock synchronization (QCS) can measure out the high-precision clock difference among distant users, which breaks through the standard quantum limit by employing the properties of quantum entanglement. Currently, the wavelength division multiplexed QCS network has been demonstrated with a spontaneous parametric down-conversion entangled photon source. In this paper, we propose a more efficient QCS network scheme with the wavelength multicasting entangled photon source, which can decrease at least 25% of wavelength channel consumption under the identical network scale. Afterwards, a four node QCS network is demonstrated, where the wavelength multicasting entangled photon source is utilized with dual-pumped four-wave mixing silicon chip. The experimental results show that the measured time deviation is 3.4 ps with an average time of 640 s via the multiple fiber links of more than 10 km.
In this paper, we propose a quantum clock synchronization (QCS) network scheme with silicon-chip dual-pumped entangled photon source. This scheme couples two pump beams into the silicon-based waveguide, where degenerate and non-degenerate spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) occurs, generating entanglement between one signal channel and three idler channels. The entangled photons are distributed to remote users through the wavelength division multiplexing strategy to construct an entanglement distribution network, and the round-trip QCS is adopted to realize a QCS network that can serve multiple users. A proof-of-principle QCS network experiment is implemented among the server and multiple users (Alice, Bob, and Charlie) for 11.1 hours, where Alice and Charlie are 10 km away from the server and Bob is 25 km away from the server. The lowest time deviations (TDEV) between the server and each user (Alice, Bob, and Charlie) are 1.57 ps, 0.82 ps and 2.57 ps at the average time of 8000 s, 8000 s and 800 s respectively. The results show that the QCS network scheme with dual-pumped SFWM photon source proposed by us achieves high accuracy, and the channel resources used by n users are reduced by about 30% compared with other round-trip QCS schemes.
Abstract The quantum entanglement distribution network, serviced as the communication infrastructure which distributes quantum information among remote users, enables many applications beyond the reach of classical networks. Recently, the applications such as quantum key distribution and quantum secure direct communication, have been successfully demonstrated in the quantum entanglement distribution network. In this article, we propose a multi-user round-trip quantum clock synchronization (QCS) scheme in the quantum network, which can be implemented with one single entangled photon source located at the server. The server distributes the entangled photons to remote multiple users with the wavelength division multiplexing strategy, and each user feeds partial received photons back to the server. The clock difference between the server and each user is calculated from the one-way and round-trip propagation times, which are determined according to the time correlation of entangled photons. Afterwards, the demonstration has been conducted between the server and a user over a 75-km-long fiber link, where the measured clock difference uncertainty is 4.45 ps, and the time deviation is 426 fs with an average time of 4000 s. Furthermore, the proposed QCS scheme is linearly scalable to many users, with respect to user hardware and number of deployed fibers.
Quantum networking, distributed quantum sensing and computing, financial markets, and position navigation and timing of satellites, require high precision clock synchronization. Existing quantum two-way time transfer protocols rely on identical wavelengths at each location. In this letter we derive and experimentally validate a heterogeneous wavelength quantum two-way time transfer protocol that eliminates the need for matched entangled-photon sources. The difference in propagation time is explicitly accounted for by incorporating the group refractive index to the calculations. Using a custom-built spontaneous parametric down-conversion photon-pair source, we separate signal and idler with wavelength division multiplexing, while maintaining strong frequency anti-correlation between signal and idler. We show that the dispersion effects on the second-order correlation function can be removed with the addition of dispersion compensation fiber. We performed quantum time transfer between two independent atomic clocks separated by a 15 km fiber spool with a time deviation of 658 fs at 0.2 s averaging time and 3.9 ps at 1 s averaging time. These results demonstrate a pathway for high precision time transfer in heterogeneous networks.
Leveraging the properties of quantum entanglement and squeezing, quantum clock synchronization offers significant advantages in improving precision and security. For scalable quantum clock synchronization networks, developing an accurate time deviation analysis model is essential to characterize long-term timing stability and enable reliable deployment in real-world systems. This paper proposes a synchronization stability analysis model that establishes the theoretically achievable time deviation based on the Cramér-Rao lower bound. We experimentally validate this model using a round-trip quantum clock synchronization protocol over 50 km of fiber, employing an integrated silicon-photonic chip that generates frequency-entangled photon pairs via four-wave mixing. Results show a synchronization accuracy of 15.08 ps and a time deviation of 901 fs at an averaging time of 10,240 seconds, while our model analysis shows a standard deviation of 12.21 ps. This work provides a fundamental framework for building robust, large-scale quantum networks.
Quantum clock synchronization (QCS) aims to establish a shared temporal reference between distant nodes by exploiting uniquely quantum phenomena such as entanglement, single-photon interference, and quantum correlations. In contrast to classical synchronization and time-transfer techniques, which are limited by signal propagation delays, atmospheric disturbances, and oscillator drift, QCS protocols offer the potential to surpass classical precision bounds and enhance resilience against adversarial manipulations. As precise and secure time synchronization underpins distributed quantum networks, navigation systems, and emerging quantum Internet infrastructures, understanding QCS principles, capabilities, and implementation challenges has become increasingly important. This survey provides a unified and critical overview of the rapidly growing QCS research landscape, highlighting fundamentals, protocol types, enabling resources, performance constraints, security considerations, and practical implementations of QCS. We first introduce the theoretical underpinnings of QCS, including entanglement-assisted time transfer, Hong-Ou-Mandel interference-based synchronization, and quantum slow-clock transport. We then categorize the main QCS protocols, ranging from ticking-qubit and entanglement-based schemes to time-of-arrival correlation methods, conveyor-belt synchronization, and quantum-enhanced two-way time transfer. This organization clarifies the relationships between protocol families and their achievable precision advantages over classical methods. Key quantum resources such as spontaneous parametric down-conversion-based entangled photon pairs, Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger and W multipartite states, squeezed and frequency-entangled light, quantum frequency combs, and quantum memories are reviewed in the context of scalability and robustness.
Quantum clock synchronization (QCS) aims to establish a shared temporal reference between distant nodes by exploiting uniquely quantum phenomena such as entanglement, single-photon interference, and quantum correlations. In contrast to classical synchronization and time-transfer techniques, which are limited by signal propagation delays, atmospheric disturbances, and oscillator drift, QCS protocols offer the potential to surpass classical precision bounds and enhance resilience against adversarial manipulations. As precise and secure time synchronization underpins distributed quantum networks, navigation systems, and emerging quantum Internet infrastructures, understanding QCS principles, capabilities, and implementation challenges has become increasingly important. This survey provides a unified and critical overview of the rapidly growing QCS research landscape, highlighting fundamentals, protocol types, enabling resources, performance constraints, security considerations, and practical implementations of QCS. We first introduce the theoretical underpinnings of QCS, including entanglement-assisted time transfer, Hong-Ou-Mandel interference-based synchronization, and quantum slow-clock transport. We then categorize the main QCS protocols, ranging from ticking-qubit and entanglement-based schemes to time-of-arrival correlation methods, conveyor-belt synchronization, and quantum-enhanced two-way time transfer. This organization clarifies the relationships between protocol families and their achievable precision advantages over classical methods. Key quantum resources such as spontaneous parametric down-conversion-based entangled photon pairs, Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger and W multipartite states, squeezed and frequency-entangled light, quantum frequency combs, and quantum memories are reviewed in the context of scalability and robustness. Practical limitations arising from decoherence, channel loss, dispersion, detector timing jitter, and relativistic effects are examined alongside emerging noise mitigation strategies. Security aspects—including eavesdropping on time correlations, intercept-resend attacks, and adversarial delay manipulation—are evaluated with respect to trusted and untrusted network architectures. Recent proof-of-concept demonstrations in fiber networks, free-space optical links, chip-integrated photonic systems, and satellite-ground platforms are summarized, followed by discussions of open challenges toward precise and secure global quantum-synchronized networks.