2025/10/14 by Meng Yu, Debashis Saha, Meng, Yu +16
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2510.12761
openalex publication_date 2025/10/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/17 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Photons are central to quantum technologies, with photonic qubits offering a promising platform for quantum communication. Semiconductor quantum dots stand out for their ability to generate single photons on demand, a key capability for enabling long-distance quantum networks. In this work, we utilize high-purity single-photon sources based on self-assembled InAs(Ga)As quantum dots as quantum information carriers. We demonstrate that such on-demand single photons can generate quantum contextuality. This capability enables a novel protocol for semi-device-independent quantum key distribution over free-space channels. Crucially, our method does not require ideal or perfectly projective measurements, opening a new pathway for robust and practical quantum communication.