Long-distance entanglement distribution is a fundamental operation for achieving a large-scale and scalable fully connected quantum communication network. However, current entanglement distribution methods cannot simultaneously meet the requirements of increasing user numbers and distribution distances. Here, we develop a three-user fully connected entangled distribution quantum network in the experiment. We demonstrate that the self-made periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide can achieve a fidelity of over 96% for the entangled state shared between users in the network. The results show that by introducing additional noise, the fidelity of the entangled state shared between any two users in the network is still greater than 85% after completing entanglement distribution over 200 km, which is far higher than the fidelity without adding noise. Our work provides a new, to the best of our knowledge, approach and experimental basis for building a large-scale and scalable fully connected quantum communication network over long distances.
Long-distance entanglement distribution is a fundamental operation for achieving a large-scale and scalable fully connected quantum communication network. However, current entanglement distribution methods cannot simultaneously meet the requirements of increasing user numbers and distribution distances. Here, we develop a three-user fully connected entangled distribution quantum network in the experiment. We demonstrate that the self-made periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide can achieve a fidelity of over 96% for the entangled state shared between users in the network. The results show that by introducing additional noise, the fidelity of the entangled state shared between any two users in the network is still greater than 85% after completing entanglement distribution over 200 km, which is far higher than the fidelity without adding noise. Our work provides a new, to the best of our knowledge, approach and experimental basis for building a large-scale and scalable fully connected quantum communication network over long distances.
Hyperentanglement, as a high-dimensional quantum entanglement phenomenon with multiple degrees of freedom, plays a critical role in quantum communication, quantum computing, and high-dimensional quantum state manipulation. Unlike entangled states in a single degree of freedom, hyperentangled states establish entanglement relationships simultaneously in multiple degrees of freedom, such as polarization, path, and orbital angular momentum. Through entanglement-based distribution techniques, high-dimensional quantum information networks can be constructed. On this basis, a fully connected quantum network with hyperentanglement is constructed in this work, and the polarization and time-bin degree-of-freedom hyperentanglement is realized through the process of second-harmonic generation and spontaneous parametric down-conversion in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide cascades. The hyperentangled state is then multiplexed into a single-mode fiber by using dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology for transmission to terminal users. The quality of the entangled states in the two degrees of freedom is characterized using Franson-type interference and photon-pair coincidence measurement techniques. Polarization entangled states are subjected to quantum state tomography, and entanglement distribution technology is employed to achieve long-distance distribution and quantum key transmission within the network. Experimental results show that the two-photon interference visibility of both polarization and time-bin entanglement is greater than 95%, demonstrating the high quality of the hyperentanglement in the network. After 100-km-entanglement distribution, the fidelity of the quantum states in both degrees of freedom remains above 88%, indicating the effectiveness of long-distance entanglement distribution in this network. Additionally, it is verified that this network supports the distribution of quantum keys over a distance of more than 50 km between users. These results confirm the feasibility of a fully connected quantum network with hyperentanglement and demonstrate the potential for constructing large-scale metropolitan networks by using hyperentanglement. As a higher-dimensional entanglement, hyperentangled states can significantly enhance the capacity and efficiency of quantum information processing. Although the quantum communication is still in its early stages of development, achieving stable storage and transmission of entangled states in large-scale metropolitan networks remains a great challenge. By utilizing the frequency conversion properties and high integration characteristics of the periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides, the three-user hyperentangled quantum network constructed in this work provides a new solution for developing the large-scale metropolitan networks with high-dimensional quantum information networks. It is expected to provide a new platform for quantum tasks such as superdense coding and quantum teleportation.
Quantum networks scale the advantages of quantum communication protocols to more than just two distant users. Here we present a fully connected quantum network architecture in which a single entangled photon source distributes quantum states to a multitude of users. Our network architecture thus minimizes the resources required of each user without sacrificing security or functionality. As no adaptations of the source are required to add users, the network can readily be scaled to a large number of clients, whereby no trust in the provider of the quantum source is required. Unlike previous attempts at multi-user networks, which have been based on active components, and thus limited to some duty cycle, our implementation is fully passive and thus provides the potential for unprecedented quantum communication speeds. We experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of our approach using a single source of bi-partite polarization entanglement which is multiplexed into 12 wavelength channels to distribute 6 states between 4 users in a fully connected graph using only 1 fiber and polarization analysis module per user. We then discuss practical usage scenarios to demonstrate the advantage of some of the salient features of our network topology. These include adaptations/hardware implementations that are more favorable for local area networks and those for long distance intercity links. Our implementation consisted of a single Type 0 MgO:PPLN crystal pumped bidirectionally in a Sagnac interferometer to produce polarization entangled photon pairs with an ≈ 60 nm bandwidth. These pair wise entangled photons were split into 12 different wavelength channels corresponding to 6 correlated wavelength pairs. Each of the 4 users in our demonstration received 3 wavelength channels multiplexed together via a solitary single mode fiber. Each user had just one detector unit that they used to simultaneously measure all input channels. We exploited small time delays between different channels to isolate the relevant signal from noise. We measured the quality of entanglement between each channel pair simultaneously and calculated the effective secure key rate using the E91 protocol. Our experiment showed the effectiveness of our network topology and its scalability against noise, number of users and losses. Further experiments are underway to increase the number of clients and improve the scalability of the topology. Also, we plan to demonstrate distributed computation tasks like secure auctions, Byzantine fault tolerance, and asynchronous reference frame agreement are feasible using our network architecture.
Quantum networks scale the advantages of quantum communication protocols to more than just two distant users. Here we present a fully connected quantum network architecture in which a single entangled photon source distributes quantum states to a multitude of users [1] and our work scaling the network to a complete end to end metropolitan quantum network with 8 users [2]. Our network architecture optimises the resources required by each user without sacrificing security or functionality. We established several long-distance loopback connections and demonstrated extended stable operation with high secure key rates. Unlike previous attempts at multi-user networks, which have been based on active components, and thus limited to some duty cycle, our implementation is fully passive. Further, we present our efforts towards coexistence of 100 Gbps classical communication and all quantum channels used in the network over the same deployed optical fibres. Most importantly, we have used our network to implement a wide variety of protocols. These protocols overcome major limitations of quantum networks and each of them represent the first implementation of that class of protocols on a large scale network.
Quantum networks scale the advantages of quantum communication protocols to more than just two distant users. Here we present a fully connected quantum network architecture in which a single entangled photon source distributes quantum states to a multitude of users [1] and our work scaling the network to a complete end to end metropolitan quantum network with 8 users [2] . Our network architecture optimises the resources required by each user without sacrificing security or functionality. We established several long-distance loopback connections and demonstrated extended stable operation with high secure key rates. Unlike previous attempts at multi-user networks, which have been based on active components, and thus limited to some duty cycle, our implementation is fully passive. Further, we present our efforts towards coexistence of 100 Gbps classical communication and all quantum channels used in the network over the same deployed optical fibres.
Quantum networks scale the advantages of quantum communication protocols to more than just two distant users. Here we present a fully connected quantum network architecture in which a single entangled photon source distributes quantum states to a multitude of users [1]. Our network architecture thus minimizes the resources required of each user without sacrificing security or functionality. As no adaptations of the source are required to add users, the network can readily be scaled to a large number of clients, whereby no trust in the provider of the quantum source is required. Unlike previous attempts at multi-user networks, which have been based on active components, and thus limited to some duty cycle, our implementation is fully passive and thus provides the potential for unprecedented quantum communication speeds. We experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of our approach using a single source of bi-partite polarization entanglement which is multiplexed into 12 wavelength channels to distribute 6 states between 4 users in a fully connected graph using only 1 fiber and polarization analysis module per user.
Abstract Quantum key distribution (QKD) would play an important role in future information technologies due to its theoretically proven security based on the laws of quantum mechanics. How to realize QKDs among multiple users in an effective and simple way is crucial for its real applications in communication networks. In this work, we propose and demonstrate a fully connected QKD network without trusted node for a large number of users. Using flexible wavelength division multiplexing/demultiplexing and space division multiplexing, entanglement resources generated by a broadband energy-time entangled quantum light source are distributed to 40 users. Any two users share a part of entanglement resources, by which QKD is established between them. As a result, it realizes a fully connected network with 40 users and 780 QKD links. The performance of this network architecture is also discussed theoretically, showing its potential on developing quantum communication networks with large user numbers owing to its simplicity, scalability, and high efficiency.