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Russian Microelectronics

Polarization States Rotation in Satellite-to-Earth Quantum and Classical Optical Communications

A. V. Khmelev, K. A. Barbyshev, A. V. Duplinsky, Liubov V. Pismeniuk, A. N. Chernov, Egor I. Ivchenko, V. L. Kurochkin

Published Dec 1, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract Satellite quantum and classical optical communication technologies have had rapid growth in the last decade. The polarization of the light is usually used to encode information or increase the data transfer speed in such systems. However, relative motion during the communication session causes the satellite’s and ground station’s polarization reference frames to spin mutually. We offer an analytical model for calculating the relative rotation of the polarization reference frame between the low Earth orbit satellite and the ground station. Based on the model, we simulate four typical satellite passage and analyze the polarization deviation angle between the satellite and the altazimuth ground telescope.

DOI
10.1134/s1063739725601870

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Abstract Satellite quantum and classical optical communication technologies have had rapid growth in the last decade. The polarization of the light is usually used to encode information or increase the data transfer speed in such systems. However, relative motion during the communication session causes the satellite’s and ground station’s polarization reference frames to spin mutually. We offer an analytical model for calculating the relative rotation of the polarization reference frame between the low Earth orbit satellite and the ground station. Based on the model, we simulate four typical satellite passage and analyze the polarization deviation angle between the satellite and the altazimuth ground telescope.
We revisit polarization rotation due to gravity, known as the gravitational Faraday effect, with a view on its role in quantum communications with Earth-orbiting satellites. In a static spherically symmetric gravitational field Faraday rotation is purely a reference frame (gauge) effect. This is so also in the leading post-Newtonian expansion of the Earth's gravitational field. However, establishing the local reference frame with respect to distant stars leads to the nonzero Faraday phase. In communications between a ground station and an Earth-orbiting spacecraft this phase is of the order of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$. Under the same conditions the Wigner phase of special relativity is typically of the order ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}\ensuremath{-}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$. These phases lead to the physical lower bound on communication errors. However, both types of errors can be simultaneously mitigated. Moreover, they are countered by a fully reference frame independent scheme that also handles arbitrary misalignments between the reference frames of sender and receiver.
Quantum repeaters and satellite-based optical links are complementary technological approaches to overcome the exponential photon loss in optical fibers and thus allow quantum communication on a global scale. We analyze architectures which combine these approaches and use satellites as quantum repeater nodes to distribute entanglement to distant optical ground stations. Here we simulate dynamic, three-dimensional ground station passes, going beyond previous studies that typically consider static satellite links. For this, we numerically solve the equations of motion of the dynamic system consisting of three satellites in low Earth orbit. The model of the optical link takes into account atmospheric attenuation, single-mode fiber coupling, beam wandering and broadening, as well as adaptive optics effects. We derive analytical expressions for the Bell state measurement and associated error rates for quantum memory assisted communications, including retrieval efficiency and state coherence. Our simulation model enables us to design different orbital configurations for the satellite constellation and analyze the annual performance of the quantum repeater under realistic conditions.
Abstract Quantum repeaters and satellite-based optical links are complementary technological approaches to overcome the exponential photon loss in optical fibers and thus allow quantum communication on a global scale. We analyze architectures which combine these approaches and use satellites as quantum repeater nodes to distribute entanglement to distant optical ground stations. Here we simulate dynamic, three-dimensional ground station passes, going beyond previous studies that typically consider static satellite links. For this, we numerically solve the equations of motion of the dynamic system consisting of three satellites in low Earth orbit. The model of the optical link takes into account atmospheric attenuation, single-mode fiber coupling, beam wandering and broadening, as well as adaptive optics effects. We derive analytical expressions for the Bell state measurement and associated error rates for quantum memory assisted communications, including retrieval efficiency and state coherence. We consider downlink and uplink architectures for continental and intercontinental connections and evaluate the impact of satellite altitude and inter-satellite distance on the expected entanglement swapping rate. Our simulation model enables us to design different orbital configurations for the satellite constellation and analyze the annual performance of the quantum repeater under realistic conditions.
Optical quantum communication utilizing satellite platforms has the potential to extend the reach of quantum key distribution (QKD) from terrestrial limits of ∼200 km to global scales. We have developed a thorough numerical simulation using realistic simulated orbits and incorporating the effects of pointing error, diffraction, atmosphere and telescope design, to obtain estimates of the loss and background noise which a satellite-based system would experience. Combining with quantum optics simulations of sources and detection, we determine the length of secure key for QKD, as well as entanglement visibility and achievable distances for fundamental experiments. We analyse the performance of a low Earth orbit satellite for downlink and uplink scenarios of the quantum optical signals. We argue that the advantages of locating the quantum source on the ground justify a greater scientific interest in an uplink as compared to a downlink. An uplink with a ground transmitter of at least 25 cm diameter and a 30 cm receiver telescope on the satellite could be used to successfully perform QKD multiple times per week with either an entangled photon source or with a weak coherent pulse source, as well as perform long-distance Bell tests and quantum teleportation. Our model helps to resolve important design considerations such as operating wavelength, type and specifications of sources and detectors, telescope designs, specific orbits and ground station locations, in view of anticipated overall system performance.
Real global-scale quantum communications and quantum key distribution systems cannot be implemented by the current fiber and free-space links. These links have high attenuation, low polarization-preserving capability or extreme sensitivity to the environment. A potential solution to the problem is the space-earth quantum channels. These channels have no absorption since the signal states are propagated in empty space, however a small fraction of these channels is in the atmosphere, which causes slight depolarizing effect. Furthermore, the relative motion of the ground station and the satellite causes a rotation in the polarization of the quantum states. In the current approaches to compensate for these types of polarization errors, high computational costs and extra physical apparatuses are required. Here we introduce a novel approach which breaks with the traditional views of currently developed quantum-error correction schemes. The proposed solution can be applied to fix the polarization errors which are critical in space-earth quantum communication systems. The channel coding scheme provides capacity-achieving communication over slightly depolarizing space-earth channels.