Microlaser chip adds new dimensions to quantum communication
Researchers at Penn Engineering have created a chip that surpasses the security of existing quantum communications hardware
Their technology increases the quantum information space of previous on-chip lasers.
computers use qubits, which are more powerful and can be used to store, transmit and
Bits can be 1s or 0s, while qubits are units of digital information capable of being both 1 and 0 at the same time.
Quantum physics says that the act of observing or looking at something creates an indeterminate reality for it
In quantum communication, a laser can emit pulses that are coded as 1, and 0. These states represent two orthogonal axes in a qudit, which is a generalization of a classical bit
These communications are easy to clone by an interceptor looking to steal information and are therefore not very secure.
For quantum communications, a pulse can have any superposition state between 1 and 0.
Superposition makes it impossible to copy a quantum pulse
This cryptographic technology is called quantum cryptography. Algorithms are mathematical formulas or codes used to encode and decode information in computers.
Quantum cryptography, unlike algorithmic cryptography, is a physical system that uses quantum physics to keep information secure
Qubits, however, are not flawless. qubits have limited storage space and low tolerance for interference because they only have two levels of superposition
The maximum secret key rate for information exchange was raised from 1 bit per pulse to 2 bits per pulse with the help of the four-level qudits in the Feng Lab device.
The device allows for four levels of superposition and opens the door to further increases in dimensions.
it required a lab and many different optical tools to control all of the parameters associated with the increase in dimensions. It was our goal to achieve this on a single chip.