2016/09/30 by Mehdi Namazi, Giuseppe Vallone, Bertus Jordaan +4
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Photon #Quantum #Quantum Computing Algorithms and Architecture #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum information science #Quantum key distribution #Quantum memory #Quantum network #Quantum optics and atomic interactions #Quantum sensor #Synchronizing #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevapplied.8.064013
published as Phys. Rev. Applied 8, 064013 (2017) · 8 pages, 6 figures
arxiv created 2017/06/04 · openalex created_date 2017/06/15 · openalex publication_date 2017/12/14 · arxiv updated 2017/12/20 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
A key element to realize secure, long-distance quantum communication is a device capable of storing and synchronizing quantum data without jeopardizing the security of the network. The size of and resources needed to build a quantum memory has held this technology back---until now. The authors send randomly polarized photons through a free-space channel, receive them with a portable quantum memory, store them, and finally read them out. They show that the data encoded in the photons remain fully protected throughout. This prototype quantum network using cost-efficient, room-temperature quantum memory could become the backbone of global quantum-communication protocols.