Network it: a photonic chip coupled with a highly non-linear crystal and a fiber network unit. The crystal produces pairs of visible, tangled photon-telecoms, which are treated on integrated circuits of silicon silicon and silicon silicon in silicon allowing a compact and versatile platform to link quantum nodes visibly accessible on the existing telecommunications infrastructure. Credit: Rit
Researchers from the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology have recently connected their campuses to an experimental network of quantum communications using two optical fibers. In a new paper published in Optica QuantumScientists describe the Rochester quantum network (ROQNET), which uses unique photons to transmit information about 11 miles along the fiber optic lines at room temperature using optical wavelengths.
Quantum communications networks have the potential to massively improve the security with which information is transmitted, which makes messages impossible to clone or intercept without detection. Quantum communication works with Quantum bitsOr qubits, which can be created physically using atoms, superconductors and even material defects such as diamonds. However, photons – individual light particles – are the best type of qubit for long -distance quantum communications.
Photons are attractive to quantum communication Partly because they could theoretically be transmitted to existing fiber optic telecommunications that already crisscross the globe. In the future, many types of qubits will probably be used because sources of qubit, such as quantum points or trapped ions, each presents their own advantages for specific applications in quantum calculation or different types of quantum detection.
However, photons are most compatible with existing communication lines. The new article focuses on quantum communication between the different types of qubits in a network a reality.
Scope. (a) A representative and fully packed version of this platform incorporating several potential wave guides and chip filters for a plug-and-play source pairs of visible tangled photons. (b) The use of a source of visible photons-telecom allows a generation of unique telecommunications photons announced by visible photons. Visible wavelengths can be effectively detected using compact unique photon avalanche diodes, while telecommunications wave wavelengths are ideal for long -distance transmission over long distances in optical fibers. Our visible-telecom source of pair would allow quantum nodes on a chip and field scale to communicate in complete safety with a central server using unique photons with telecommunications wavelengths on existing optical fibers. (c) Our source of visible photon pair also opens the way to a heterogeneous quantum network in filling the gap between various visibly accessible quantum nodes and an existing telecommunications infrastructure. Credit: Optica Quantum (2025). DOI: 10.1364 / Opticaq.546774
“This is an exciting step creating quantum networks that would protect communications and empower new approaches to IT and distributed imagery,” explains Nickolas Vamivakas, Mary C. Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson, who led the efforts of the University of Rochester.
“While other groups have developed experimental quantum networks, ROQNET is unique in its use of quantum photonic chips integrated for the generation of quantum light and quantum memory nodes in the solid state.”
The teams of the University of Rochester and RIT combined their expertise in optics, quantum informationAnd photonics to develop technology with circuits integrated into photonics that could facilitate the quantum network. Currently, efforts to take advantage of fiber optic lines for quantum communication require bulky and expensive photon detectors (SNSPD), but they hope to eliminate this barrier.
“The photons move at the speed of light and their wide range of wavelengths allow you to communicate with different types of qubits,” explains Stefan Preble, professor at Kate Gleason College of Engineering de Rit. “We focus on distributed quantum entanglement, and Roqnet is a test bench to do this.”
In the end, researchers wish to connect ROQNET to other research facilities in New York State at the Brookhaven National Lab, at Stony Brook University, at the Air Force Research Laboratory and New York University.
More information:
Vijay SS Sunday and Al, announced simple telecommunications photons of a visible-telecom source of pair on a PPKTP-Pic hybrid platform, Optica Quantum (2025). DOI: 10.1364 / Opticaq.546774
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University of Rochester
Quote: Palivate Photon technology to a quantum communications network of 11 miles between two campuses (2025, May 6) recovered on May 7, 2025 from https://phys.org/news/2025-05-photon-technology-powers-mile-quantum.html
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