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Chip-to-Chip Entanglement-Based Quantum Key Distribution over 80km Two-Core Fiber Spool

Guarda G., Roux D., Zahidy M., Ding Y., Zhou S., Ribezzo D., Da Ros F., Bacco D., Vigliar C.

Published Jan 1, 2026• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We demonstrate chip-to-chip entanglement-based quantum key distribution using fully integrated silicon photonic transmitter and receiver circuits with path encoding, achieving secure key generation over an 80 km two-core fiber spool, advancing scalable integrated quantum communication networks.

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Photonic chip integration would greatly benefit quantum key distribution (QKD) systems for secure communication, in terms of compactness, scalability, and well-established fabrication techniques. This study demonstrates proof of concept for an all-chip measurement-device-independent QKD system using integrated silicon photonic technology. The prototype generates a key rate per pulse of $2.923\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ over a distance corresponding to 50 km of standard fiber with 25% detection efficiency; the system is projected to be able to work at 120 km with 85% detection efficiency. This technology shows great promise for highly integrated quantum communication networks.
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Entanglement distribution is critical for quantum networks, enabling secure communication and distributed quantum computing. We demonstrate long-distance polarization-entangled photon pair distribution using a silicon nanophotonic chip and ultra-low-loss (ULL) fiber. The polarization-entangled photons from the silicon chip achieve a fidelity of 97.90% with a raw observed entangled photon rate of 460,000 pairs/s. The chip is efficiently coupled to optical fiber with losses as low as 0.64dB per facet. Leveraging ULL fiber (0.16dB/km), we extend the entanglement distribution distance to over 300km, surpassing the previous record of 155km using deployed fiber. Key advancements include optimized splicing (sub-0.01dB loss) and active polarization correction, ensuring stable entanglement over long distances. This work highlights the potential of silicon photonics and ULL fiber for scalable and practical quantum communication networks.