Quantum Optical Ground-Station for QEYSSAT

该提案寻求的设备将推进滑铁卢大学现有的量子光学地面站（QOGS），使其能够与加拿大量子加密和科学卫星（QEYSSat）进行量子科学和光通信实验。QOGS将需要对QEYSSat进行特定的升级，包括一个带有可编程屋顶的圆顶，用于量子源的激光器，跟踪信标激光器和一个用于检测QEYSSat激光信标的摄像系统。QEYSSat使命的主要目标是在地面和空间之间进行量子密钥分配（QKD）。最安全的密码系统需要用安全密钥加密数据，然后在通信方之间安全地分发密钥。量子信息为通过QKD建立密钥传输的问题提供了解决方案。因此，发送者（Alice）将信息编码为量子态并将其发送给接收者（Bob）。量子密钥分发的安全性是由量子态的特殊性质提供的，量子态将被测量扰动。具体地说，如果窃听者（Eve）试图确定密钥的状态，他们最终会扰乱状态，暴露他们的存在，并且在用于编码任何敏感信息之前丢弃受损的密钥。QKD的实现需要在非常长的距离上传输光子的能力。虽然光子传输是快速和有效的，但它并不完美，散射或吸收等效应可能导致光子丢失。而且，与经典的光子通信信号不同，QKD中使用的光子不能被放大，因为这样的过程会扰乱状态。在全球范围内建立QKD的最有希望的方法是使用轨道卫星作为量子网络中的节点。由Jennewein及其团队领导的QEYSSat专注于卫星接收器平台，量子源将位于地面上。这种方法提供了在卫星寿命期间能够修改量子源的独特优势。修改量子源不仅可以提高性能，而且还可以在未来使用新的源进行新的实验。所要求的设备将使滑铁卢的QOGS能够进行这些实验，同时为研究团队提供一个独特的环境，以利用卫星推进量子技术。QKD的商业化是一个不断发展的领域，升级QOGS将使加拿大成为QKD的世界领导者。参与此项目的HQP将获得实施量子密钥分配的宝贵经验，从而增加他们毕业后加入私营部门的前景。除了QKD，这些独特的研究实验还将测试量子力学定律在太空中与地球上相同的假设，并展示未来的量子IT商业化机会。

This proposal seeks equipment that will advance Waterloo's existing Quantum Optical Ground Station (QOGS), operated by the University of Waterloo, enabling it to conduct quantum science and optical communications experiments with the Canadian Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat). QOGS will require QEYSSat specific upgrades including a dome with a programmable roof, lasers for the quantum sources, a tracking beacon laser, and a camera system to detect the QEYSSat laser beacon. The primary goal of the QEYSSat mission is to preform quantum key distribution (QKD) between ground and space. The most secure cryptosystems require encrypting data with a secure key and then securely distributing the key amongst the communication parties. Quantum information provides a solution to the problem of establishing key transfer through QKD. Thereby, a sender (Alice), encodes information in quantum states and sends them to a receiver (Bob). The security of QKD is provided by the peculiar property of quantum states to be perturbed by measurements. Specifically, if an eavesdropper (Eve) attempts to determine the state for the key, they end up perturbing the state, revealing their presence and the compromised key is discarded before it is used for encoding any sensitive information. Implementations of QKD require the ability to transmit photons over very long distances. While the photon transmission is fast and efficient, it is not perfect, and effects such as scattering, or absorption can cause the photons to be lost. And, unlike classical photonic communication signals, the photons used in QKD cannot be amplified since such a process would perturb the state. The most promising approach to establish QKD over global distances is to use an orbiting satellite acting as a node in a quantum network. QEYSSat, led by Jennewein and his team, focusses on a satellite receiver platform, where the quantum source would be located on the ground. This approach provides the unique advantage of enabling modification of the quantum source during the satellite's lifetime. Modifying the quantum source not only allows improvement of the performance but also allows new experiments to be performed in the future with new sources. The requested equipment will enable Waterloo's QOGS to conduct these experiments while providing the research team with a unique environment to advance quantum technologies using satellites. The commercialization of QKD is a growing field and upgrading QOGS will position Canada as a world leader in QKD. HQP involved in this project will gain valuable experience in the implementation of QKD, thus increasing their prospects when joining the private sector after graduating. In addition to QKD, these unique research experiments will also test the hypothesis that the laws of quantum mechanics are the same in space as they are on Earth, as well as demonstrate future quantum IT commercialization opportunities.