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Optics Letters

Coexistence of O-band polarization-entangled photons with C-band classical channels in a dynamically reconfigurable metropolitan fiber network

Thomas Rieser, Hsuan-Hao Lu, Hsuan‐Hao Lu, Mael Flament, Maximilian Schulz, Marc Geiz, Oliver Holschke, Mehdi Namazi, Matheus Ribeiro Sena

Published Oct 8, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present polarization entanglement distribution over an operator-owned, metropolitan-scale fiber network, employing standard wavelength-division multiplexing components to achieve coexistence of O-band photons and C-band classical light. First, we demonstrate dynamic path switching by alternating between 15-km and 30-km deployed fiber loops, enabled by automated polarization compensation achieving sub-second recovery and time-averaged CHSH S -values exceeding 2.65 over 21 hours. We then assess the impact of co-propagating 100-Gbit/s C-band classical signals by varying launch powers up to 6 dBm. Finally, by combining path switching and classical co-propagation, we achieve stable entanglement distribution over 30 km of deployed fiber, validating the feasibility of hybrid quantum–classical transmission and paving the way for entanglement-based quantum networking on existing metropolitan infrastructure.

DOI
10.1364/ol.608372

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We present polarization entanglement distribution over an operator-owned, metropolitan-scale fiber network, employing standard wavelength-division multiplexing components to achieve coexistence of O-band photons and C-band classical light. First, we demonstrate dynamic path switching by alternating between 15-km and 30-km deployed fiber loops, enabled by automated polarization compensation achieving sub-second recovery and time-averaged CHSH S -values exceeding 2.65 over 21 hours. We then assess the impact of co-propagating 100-Gbit/s C-band classical signals by varying launch powers up to 6 dBm. Finally, by combining path switching and classical co-propagation, we achieve stable entanglement distribution over 30 km of deployed fiber, validating the feasibility of hybrid quantum–classical transmission and paving the way for entanglement-based quantum networking on existing metropolitan infrastructure.
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The development of prototype metropolitan-scale quantum networks is underway and entails transmitting quantum information via single photons through deployed optical fibers spanning several tens of kilometers. The major challenges in building metropolitan-scale quantum networks are compensation for polarization fluctuation, high-precision clock synchronization, and compensation for cumulative transmission time fluctuations. One approach addressing these challenges is to copropagate classical probe signals in the same fiber as the quantum signal. Thus, both signals experience the same conditions, and the changes of the fiber can therefore be monitored and compensated. Here, we demonstrate the distribution of polarization-entangled quantum signals copropagating with the White Rabbit precision time protocol classical signals in the same single-core fiber strand at metropolitan-scale distances. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of this quantum-classical coexistence by achieving high-fidelity entanglement distribution between nodes separated by 100 km of optical fiber. This advancement is a significant step towards the practical implementation of robust and efficient metropolitan-scale quantum networks.
The coexistence of quantum and classical signals in optical fiber infrastructures represents a major challenge for large-scale quantum networks, as noise sources such as Raman scattering can significantly impact entanglement distribution, and the quantum protocols based on it. In this work, we analyze Raman scattering in the C-band, used for entanglement distribution, generated by a classical the O-band signal. The main contribution of this study lays in investigating these effects in a real metropolitan-fiber network, moving beyond controlled laboratory experiments to deployed telecommunication environments. Measurements are performed over a 7 km metropolitan fiber link using commercial sources and narrowband lasers. The experimental results shows good agreement between the measurements taken under laboratory conditions, although, within the metropolitan-scale loop, localized spectral anomalies are observed in the deployed fibers. Therefore, our results show that, whenever a quantum signal propagates in the C-band alongside an O-band classical channel within the same fiber, careful selection of the operating frequency is required, as Raman scattering and other real-world noise sources can significantly affect the quality and stability of the quantum transmission. In particular, we identify spectral regions that are less affected by Raman noise, thereby providing practical guidelines for optimal quantum channel allocation. We demonstrate that Raman-induced noise constitutes a dominant contribution to the quantum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in realistic deployments, beyond background and detector noise. Overall, our findings offer practical insights for deploying quantum communication systems over existing fiber networks, supporting the development of robust and scalable quantum infrastructures.
The coexistence of quantum information and classical signals within the same fiber link is essential for realizing future quantum networks that utilize the well-established optical fiber infrastructure. In this work, we demonstrate the coexistence of CCC-band energy-time entanglement and LLL-band classical data. By employing wavelength-division multiplexing techniques and polarization management, we achieve quantum entanglement distribution over a 40-km-long fiber carrying $4\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\textmu{}\mathrm{W}$ of bidirectional received power. Under the highest noise conditions, we obtain a visibility of $84.59\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.68%$ from Franson interference and calculate a secret key rate of 1.89 kbps using the Bennett-Brassard-Mermin 1992 (BBM92) protocol, showing improved performance compared to an all-CCC-band setup. These results pave the way for large-scale quantum-classical coexistence within existing optical fiber infrastructure.
The scalability of quantum networking will benefit from quantum and classical communications coexisting in shared fibers, the main challenge being spontaneous Raman scattering noise. We investigate the coexistence of multi-channel O-band quantum and C-band classical communications. We characterize multiple narrowband entangled photon pair channels across 1282 nm-1318 nm co-propagating over 48 km of installed standard fiber with record C-band power (>18 dBm) and demonstrate that some quantum-classical wavelength combinations significantly outperform others. We analyze the Raman noise spectrum, optimal wavelength engineering, multi-photon pair emission in entangled photon-classical coexistence, and evaluate the implications for future quantum applications.