Space-to-Ground Integrated Quantum Networks (SIQN)

空对地综合量子网络（SIQN）

• 批准号: 10089202
• 金额: $ 252.86万
• 依托单位: TOSHIBA EUROPE LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Small Business Research Initiative
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10089202
• 关键词: Space; Ground; Integrated; Quantum; Networks

Data is fast becoming the underlying driver of the global economy. Securing the transmission of data as it is routed around the world is therefore of utmost importance. Today we use classical cryptography protocols, such as RSA and AES, to secure a wide range of sensitive data including financial data, health records, commercial secrets, and sensitive governmental and defence information. However, this data is at threat from attacks by quantum computers. As the resource of quantum computers grows, their ability to break traditional cryptographic protocols becomes ever more likely. Quantum cryptographic methods such as quantum key distribution (QKD) are, by nature, resistant to these attacks and they can secure our data now and into the future.A typical link between two users that is secured by QKD is serviced by fibre-optics and is limited in distance to approximately 175 km. This is because the inherent losses of fibre-optic cables means that above these distances there is too little signal to perform the QKD protocol. To overcome this limit, we can use free-space links, which can have much lower losses per unit distance. Recently, there has been a push toward performing QKD that is intermediated by satellites in low-Earth orbit. This type of satellite-to-ground QKD can break the distance limit and allow for secure communication between users separated by intercontinental distances.Current implementations of satellite QKD (SQKD) suffer from impracticalities arising from slow clock rates and the requirement of large telescopes to provide enough encryption material to service even a single ground node. In this project we will develop technology for high-rate SQKD and integrate this technology to ground networks enabling secure communication across the globe. The hardware and software developed will overcome current limitations by operating in real-time and at gigahertz (1 billion Hz) clock rates. Furthermore, software to share quantum keys between ground nodes serviced by SQKD will be developed to seamlessly secure data transfer around the world.

数据正在迅速成为全球经济的根本驱动力。因此，确保数据在世界各地传输的安全至关重要。如今，我们使用RSA和AES等经典加密协议来保护各种敏感数据，包括财务数据、健康记录、商业机密以及敏感的政府和国防信息。然而，这些数据受到量子计算机攻击的威胁。随着量子计算机资源的增长，它们打破传统加密协议的能力变得越来越有可能。量子密钥分发（QKD）等量子加密方法本质上可以抵抗这些攻击，它们可以保护我们现在和未来的数据。由QKD保护的两个用户之间的典型链路由光纤提供服务，距离限制在大约175公里。这是因为光纤电缆的固有损耗意味着在这些距离以上，执行QKD协议的信号太少。为了克服这个限制，我们可以使用自由空间链路，它可以有更低的每单位距离的损失。最近，有一个推动执行QKD，这是由低地球轨道上的卫星中介。这种类型的星地量子密钥分发可以打破距离限制，允许洲际距离相隔的用户之间进行安全通信。目前卫星量子密钥分发（SQKD）的实现存在时钟速率慢以及需要大型望远镜来提供足够的加密材料的不切实际性。服务甚至单个地面节点。在这个项目中，我们将开发高速率SQKD技术，并将该技术集成到地面网络中，从而实现地球仪的安全通信。开发的硬件和软件将通过实时操作和千兆赫兹（10亿赫兹）时钟速率来克服当前的限制。此外，将开发在SQKD服务的地面节点之间共享量子密钥的软件，以无缝地保护全球数据传输。