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

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人信息网络。尽管在研究和技术演示方面取得了快速进展，但其在实际环境中的大规模部署仍然面临重大困难，例如有限的距离，低数据速率，对信道干扰的高度敏感性以及不成比例的操作开销。该项目旨在通过开发芯片集成器件和子系统来解决这些挑战，以制备和检测处于有利量子态的光子信号。它们将被组装起来，以创建针对视线应用的创新系统，这些系统对恶劣的天气条件具有鲁棒性，对单光子进行超高效的信息编码和解码，以及通过自由空间和光纤进行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。来自这两个研究所的学生将得到支持，激励和培训，在设备集成，量子光学，高速电光电路和通信系统的交叉点工作。拥有这种均衡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，周末实验室访问将每学期向公众开放，以展示量子物理学和纳米光子学的融合前沿。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。这两个团体将继续吸引来自代表性不足群体的成员，并帮助他们开展科学和工程事业。技术摘要：该项目将开发一种基于锂离子薄膜的高度集成的量子光子平台，用于模块化量子收发器，其独特的功能包括超过3.2微米光谱间距的纠缠产生，皮秒时间尺度上的无损光子波形整形，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学时分解复用。有了这些产品，这个新的设备平台将承载创新技术，用于通过电信光纤和自由空间进行快速，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。第一个是一个创新的中红外通道，用于在自由空间进行防风雨量子通信，它不仅增加了通信速度和范围，而且还可以通过进一步的开发为量子卫星应用提供可靠的高速地空链路。第二种是超光子有效的量子密钥分配，使用重叠的时间-频率模式，以显着提高密钥速率，同时也加强了信道的安全性。与此同时，量子比特锁定也将通过酉加扰和解扰单光子来探索，作为高速量子加密的替代方法。第三个奖项是通过自由空间和光纤优化的混合量子密钥分发系统，该系统可能成为未来多功能、弹性量子网络的基础。该奖项反映了NSF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.