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Journal of Physics Conference Series

Towards practical quantum secure time transfer

Eduardo Villaseñor, K. Shimizu, Rakhitha Chandrasekara, W. Y. Sarah Lau, S. D. Gensemer

Published Nov 1, 2024• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract Accurate clock synchronization and time transfer are vital for positioning, navigation, and timing systems, however, current systems are susceptible to attacks, such as spoofing. Quantum secure time transfer (QSTT) can address this threat by providing a method to validate the authenticity of the time signals used. In this work, we analyze the feasibility of free-space QSTT between two mobile transceivers. Using various techniques, we model the free-space channel to estimate the maximum ranges achievable while guaranteeing a defined level of security. The results indicate that QSTT is feasible for daytime operations up to a distance of 14 km, while nighttime operations can be achieved up to 30 km. This study can be used to design the next pathfinder experiments towards the development of practical QSTT.

DOI
10.1088/1742-6596/2889/1/012028

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Abstract Accurate clock synchronization and time transfer are vital for positioning, navigation, and timing systems, however, current systems are susceptible to attacks, such as spoofing. Quantum secure time transfer (QSTT) can address this threat by providing a method to validate the authenticity of the time signals used. In this work, we analyze the feasibility of free-space QSTT between two mobile transceivers. Using various techniques, we model the free-space channel to estimate the maximum ranges achievable while guaranteeing a defined level of security. The results indicate that QSTT is feasible for daytime operations up to a distance of 14 km, while nighttime operations can be achieved up to 30 km. This study can be used to design the next pathfinder experiments towards the development of practical QSTT.
High-precision clock synchronization is essential for a wide range of network-distributed applications. In the quantum space, these applications include communication, sensing, and positioning. However, current synchronization techniques are vulnerable to attacks, such as intercept-resend attacks, spoofing, and delay attacks. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a new quantum secure time transfer (QSTT) system, subsequently used for clock synchronization, that largely negates such attacks. Novel to our system is the optimal use of self-generated quantum keys within the QSTT to information-theoretically secure the maximum amount of timing data; as well as the introduction, within a hybrid quantum/post-quantum architecture, of an information-theoretic secure obfuscated encryption sequence of the remaining timing data. With these enhancements, we argue that our new system represents the most robust implementation of QSTT to date.
We experimentally demonstrate an entanglement-based Quantum-Secure Time Transfer (QSTT) system in an emulated low Earth orbit satellite-to-ground channel using a type-0 Sagnac-based entangled-photon source. Our new QSTT system delivers a finite Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) key rate of approximately 3 3~3 bits s−1~\text{s}^{-1} s−1 with a 10−1010^{-10}10−10 security parameter, providing a 303030-fold increase in the QKD key rate compared to the state-of-the-art entanglement-based QKD system delivered by the Micius satellite. Beyond this high key rate outcome, novel to our QSTT system is a GPS-free clock synchronization, optimized use of QKD, embedded post-quantum security, and obfuscation of the system configuration via use of a pre-shared key. Collectively, these enhancements deliver the most efficient and secure deployment of QSTT to date, and point the way forward to high-accuracy ultra-secure time transfer in space.
Precise clock synchronization is important for quantum networking, enhanced position, navigation, timing, and other applications that require clock synchronization better than GPS, but remains an ongoing challenge. The authors propose a solution using hardware native to quantum networking. This quantum-time-transfer technique can quickly achieve picosecond-level clock synchronization despite relatively low-performance quantum-photon sources and detection equipment. Furthermore, it is robust against the high loss and high noise channel conditions representative of daytime space-Earth links, and could provide high-precision secure timing in GPS-denied environments.
High-precision remote clock synchronization is crucial for many classical and quantum network applications. Evaluating options for space-Earth links, we find that traditional solutions may not produce the desired synchronization for low Earth orbits and unnecessarily complicate quantum networking architectures. Demonstrating an alternative, we use commercial off-the-shelf quantum photon sources and detection equipment to synchronize two remote clocks across our free-space testbed utilizing a method called two-way quantum time transfer (QTT). We reach picosecond-scale timing precision under very lossy and noisy channel conditions representative of daytime space-Earth links and software-emulated satellite motion. This work demonstrates how QTT is potentially relevant for daytime space-Earth quantum networking and/or providing high-precision timing in GPS-denied environments.
Abstract As the superiority of quantum two-way time transfer (Q-TWTT) has been proved convincingly over fiber links, its implementation on free-space links becomes an urgent need for remote time transfer expanding to the transcontinental distance. In this paper, the first Q-TWTT experimental demonstration over a hybrid link of 2 km-long turbulent free-space and 7 km-long field fiber is reported. Despite the significant loss of ∼30 dB and atmospheric turbulence, reliable time transfer performance lasting for overnights has been realized with time stability in terms of time deviation far below 1 picosecond. This achievement shows the good feasibility of quantum-enhanced time transfer in the space-ground integrated optical links and nicely certifies the capability of Q-TWTT in comparing and synchronizing the state-of-the-art space microwave atomic clocks.
Current quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) protocols guarantee communication security by estimating the error rates of photons in the X and Z bases. This take the reference frame calibration between communicating parties as a necessary prerequisite. However, in mobile communications scenarios, achieving continuous and accurate reference frame calibration poses significant challenges. To address this issue, this paper proposes a reference-frame-independent (RFI) QSDC protocol. This protocol only requires ensuring the calibration accuracy of one direction of the reference frame, while allowing a misalignment angle βββ in the other two directions. To improve the protocol's robustness against reference frame fluctuations, we introduce a βββ-independent parameter C into the security analysis framework and rederive the protocol's security bounds. Additionally, we construct a system model and optimize the pulse intensity of the signal states, enabling the protocol to achieve optimal performance under each level of channel attenuation. At an attenuation of 10 dB (corresponding to a communication distance of 25 km), the secrecy message capacities for $β= 0^{ \circ} $ and $45^{ \circ} $ are 8.765×10−68.765 \times10^{-6}8.765×10−6 bit/pulse and 4.150×10−64.150 \times10^{-6}4.150×10−6 bit/pulse, respectively. Compared with the single-photon-based QSDC, the communication distance of the protocol proposed in this paper is significantly extended. When $β= 0^{ \circ} $ and $45^{ \circ} $, the maximum transmission distances of the RFI QSDC protocol are 27.875 km and 26.750 km, which is about 155.9 % and 149.7 % of that of the single-photon-based QSDC protocol.