SBIR Phase I: On-Demand Single Photon Source for Quantum Networks

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力涉及正在开发的量子通信网络，以极大地提高网络安全性。信息时代对世界各地的人类和社会产生了深远的影响。为了保持全球信息获取所带来的好处，需要一种改进的、长期的安全通信解决方案来应对新出现的网络威胁。量子网络利用量子物理定律提供无法被黑客攻击的安全加密通道，可以保证网络通信的长期安全。这些超安全量子网络的未来发展和部署代表着一个数十亿美元的全球市场，美国公司已经做好了服务的准备。除了这些经济效益之外，量子网络的发展将推动量子技术的发展，最终导致先进的传感器，更快的计算工具，以及更好地理解量子物理的真实本质。这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发一种确定性的、按需的单光子源，使量子网络能够在大范围内部署，这是目前不可能实现的。该公司将设计一种对实现量子隐形传态中继器至关重要的新型量子源原型。这些中继器可以实现量子态的远距离传输，是广域量子网络所必需的。第一阶段将展示单光子产生概率大于20%的按需单光子源。如果成功，这种可扩展的设计为成功集成和演示量子隐形传态中继器所需的更高单光子产生概率率提供了一条直接途径。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project relates to quantum communication networks being developed to vastly improve network security. The Information Age has had a profound effect on humans and societies across the world. To maintain the benefits afforded by global information access, an improved, long-term solution for secure communications is needed in response to newly emerging cyber threats. Quantum networks, which use the laws of quantum physics to provide secure, encrypted channels that cannot be hacked, can guarantee the long-term security of network communications. The future development and deployment of these ultra-secure quantum networks represents a multi-billion dollar global market that U.S. companies are well positioned to serve. Beyond these economic benefits, the development of quantum networks will advance the development of quantum technologies that can ultimately lead to advanced sensors, faster computational tools, and a better understanding of the true nature of quantum physics. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a deterministic, on-demand single photon source that will enable quantum networks to be deployed over large areas, something that currently is not possible. The company will prototype a novel quantum source design critical to the realization of quantum teleportation repeaters. These repeaters can enable the long-distance transmission of quantum states and are required for wide-area quantum networks. An on-demand single photon source with a single photon generation probability rate of greater than 20% will be demonstrated in this Phase I effort. If successful, this scalable design offers a direct path to the higher single-photon generation probability rates required for successful integration and demonstration of quantum teleportation repeaters.