Bright Entangled Light Sources for Aerospace Applications
Abstract
Entangled photons are the basic building blocks used to transmit quantum information in a network setting. Polarization entanglement between pairs of photons is a readily available resource since polarization manipulation is straightforward. Polarization-entangled photons have been used for free-space entanglement distribution with the current record standing at over 1,000 km using an entangled light source distributing photons from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by the Chinese Micius satellite. This is spurring development on satellite quantum communications, and one area of active research is to explore different satellite configurations. At the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT), we propose that it is interesting to deploy quantum communications not only from LEO, but also from high-altitude platforms, Medium and Geostationary Earth Orbits (GEO). One of the challenges of satellite optical communications is the precision needed at the ground receiver in tracking the light from the spacecraft. In a LEO setting this can be quite complex, given the fast speed of the spacecraft; in order to maintain stable tracking, trade-offs are made in size and cost, and this impacts the available throughput. The tracking of a GEO object is simpler on the ground side, potentially leading to more cost-effective receivers [4]. Furthermore, operational control of a GEO quantum communications network might be simpler as only a few spacecraft are needed to provide continued coverage over the globe. In this proposal, we suggest two workpackages that will enable us to work towards an advanced space quantum network. In the first workpackage, we aim to improve the durability of existing space-borne entangled light sources by inserting active alignment elements. This should enable them to overcome long-term environmental effects expected in both LEO and GEO settings. In the second workpackage, we propose to install a number of single photon detectors at a ground recei
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 24, 2019
- Source ID
- FA23861814060
Entities
People
- Alexander Ling
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- National University of Singapore
- United States Air Force