RAISE-EQuIP: A Chip-integrated Platform for Photon-Efficient Quantum Communications

摘要：量子通信利用物理学的基本定律，即使在不可信的信道上也能可靠地保护私有信息网络。尽管研究和技术演示取得了快速进展，但在实际环境中大规模部署仍然面临重大困难，例如距离有限，数据速率低，对信道干扰的敏感性高，以及不成比例的操作开销。该项目旨在通过开发芯片集成设备和子系统来解决这些挑战，以制备和检测有利量子态的光子信号。它们将被组装在一起，以创建创新的系统，用于在恶劣天气条件下的视距应用，单光子的超高效信息编码和解码，以及在自由空间和光纤上优化的混合量子通信。该项目将由史蒂文斯理工学院和德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校的研究小组合作进行。来自两个学院的学生将得到支持、激励和培训，在器件集成、量子光学、高速电光电路和通信系统的交叉领域工作。拥有如此平衡的培训和知识基础的劳动力将为量子技术的工业发展做出重大贡献。在史蒂文斯，周末实验室访问将主持每学期向公众开放，以展示量子物理和纳米光子学的合并前沿。在阿灵顿，将在工程周和K-12夏令营期间组织有指导的实验室参观。这两个小组将继续从代表性不足的群体中吸引成员，并帮助他们开展科学和工程事业。技术摘要：本项目将为模块化量子收发器开发基于铌酸锂薄膜的高集成度量子光子平台，其独特的能力包括在3.2微米光谱间隔内产生纠缠，皮秒时间尺度上无损光子波形成形，基于模式分辨光子检测的破坏性接收器技术，以及用于快速量子信号的超快光时分解复用。有了这些产品，这个新的设备平台将承载创新技术，在电信光纤和自由空间上实现快速、稳健和光子高效的量子通信。该项目将针对三个量子通信系统。第一个是创新的中红外通道，用于自由空间上的防风雨量子通信，不仅可以增加通信速度和覆盖范围，还可以通过进一步开发为量子卫星应用提供可靠的高速地面空间链路。二是利用时频重叠模式实现超光子高效量子密钥分发，在提高密钥速率的同时增强信道安全性。同时，量子比特锁定也将通过单一加扰和反加扰的单光子来探索，作为高速量子加密的替代方法。第三个是在自由空间和光纤上优化的混合量子密钥分配系统，可以为未来的多用途、弹性量子网络奠定基础。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Nontechnical Abstract:Quantum communication exploits the fundamental laws of physics to reliably secure private information networking even over untrusted channels. Despite rapid progresses in research and technology demonstrations, its large-scale deployment in practical settings still faces significant difficulties such as limited distance, low data rates, high susceptibility to channel disturbances, and disproportional operating overhead. This project aims to address those challenges by developing chip-integrated devices and sub-systems for preparation and detection of photonic signals in advantageous quantum states. They will be assembled to create innovative systems for line-of-sight applications robust against inferior weather conditions, ultra-efficient information encoding and decoding on single photons, and optimized hybrid quantum communication over both free space and optical fibers. This project will be carried out collaboratively by research groups from Stevens Institute of Technology and University of Texas at Arlington. Students from both institutes will be supported, motivated, and trained to work at the intersection of device integration, quantum optics, high-speed electro-optic circuits, and communication systems. A workforce with such balanced trainings and knowledge bases will contribute significantly to the industrial development of quantum technologies. At Stevens, a weekend-lab visit will be hosted each semester open to public to showcase the merging frontiers of quantum physics and nanophotonics. At Arlington, guided lab visits will be organized during the Engineering Week and K-12 summer camps. Both groups will continue to attract members from under-represented groups and help them launch scientific and engineering careers. Technical Abstract: This project will develop a highly-integrated quantum photonic platform based on lithium niobate thin films for modular quantum transceivers, whose unique capabilities include entanglement generation over 3.2-micron spectral spacing, lossless photon waveform shaping on a picosecond timescale, disruptive receiver technology based on mode-resolving photon detection, and ultrafast optical time-division de-multiplexing for fast quantum signals. With these offerings, this new device platform will host innovative techniques for fast, robust, and photon-efficient quantum communications over both telecom fibers and free space. Three quantum communication systems will be targeted in this project. The first is an innovative mid-IR channel for weatherproof quantum communication over free space, which not only multiplies the communication speed and reach but may also provide a reliable, high-speed ground-space link for quantum satellite applications through further development. The second is ultra-photon-efficient quantum key distribution using overlapping time-frequency modes to significantly increase the key rate while also strengthening the channel security. Meanwhile, quantum bit locking will also be explored by unitary scrambling and de-scrambling single photons, as an alternative approach to high-speed quantum encryption. The third is an optimized hybrid quantum key distribution system over free space and optical fibers that could form the basis for the future versatile, resilient quantum networks.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.