Space-to-ground quantum-communication using an optical ground station: a feasibility study

Feasibility of satellite quantum key distribution

In this paper we present a novel analysis of the feasibility of quantum key distribution between a LEO satellite and a ground station. First of all, we study signal propagation through a turbulent atmosphere for uplinks and downlinks, discussing the contribution of beam spreading and beam wandering. Then we introduce a model for the background noise of the channel during night-time and day-time, calculating the signal-to-noise ratio for different configurations. We also discuss the expected error-rate due to imperfect polarization-compensation in the channel. Finally, we calculate the expected…

Feasibility of satellite-to-ground continuous-variable quantum key distribution

Establishing secure communication links at a global scale is a major potential application of quantum information science but also extremely challenging for the underlying technology. While milestone experiments using satellite-to-ground links and exploiting singe-photon encoding for implementing quantum key distribution have shown recently that this goal is achievable, it is still necessary to further investigate practical solutions compatible with classical optical communication systems. Here we examine the feasibility of establishing secret keys in a satellite-to-ground downlink configurati…

Surface code quantum communication

Quantum communication typically involves a linear chain of repeater stations, each capable of reliable local quantum computation and connected to their nearest neighbors by unreliable communication links. The communication rate in existing protocols is low as two-way classical communication is used. We show that, if Bell pairs are generated between neighboring stations with a probability of heralded success greater than 0.65 and fidelity greater than 0.96, two-way classical communication can be entirely avoided and quantum information can be sent over arbitrary distances with arbitrarily low e…

Feasibility of Quantum Key Distribution from High Altitude Platforms

This paper presents the feasibility study of deploying Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) from High Altitude Platforms (HAPs), as a way of securing future communications applications and services. The paper provides a thorough review of the state of the art HAP technologies and summarises the benefits that HAPs can bring to the QKD services. A detailed link budget analysis is presented in the paper to evaluate the feasibility of delivering QKD from stratospheric HAPs flying at 20 km altitude. The results show a generous link budget under most operating conditions which brings the possibility of us…

Dense coding and safety of quantum communications

The sending station being the classical device can be eavesdropped by classical means. Dense coding and quantum nature of wave function give the additional resource to raise the safety of the quantum channel as a whole.

Experimental verification of the feasibility of a quantum channel between Space and Earth

Extending quantum communication to Space environments would enable to perform fundamental experiments on quantum physics as well as applications of quantum information at planetary and interplanetary scales. Here, we report the first experimental implementation of a scheme for single-photon exchange between a satellite and an Earth-based station. We built an experiment that mimics a single photon source on a satellite, exploiting the telescope at the Matera Laser Ranging Observatory of the Italian Space Agency to detect the transmitted photons. Weak laser pulses, emitted by the ground-based st…

Feasibility of underwater free space quantum key distribution

We investigate the optical absorption and scattering properties of underwater media pertinent to our underwater free space quantum key distribution (QKD) channel model. With the vector radiative transfer theory and Monte Carlo method, we obtain the attenuation of photons, the fidelity of the scattered photons, the quantum bit error rate and the sifted key generation rate of underwater quantum communication. It can be observed from our simulations that the most secure single photon underwater free space QKD is feasible in the clearest ocean water.

Optimal Entanglement Distribution using Satellite Based Quantum Networks

Recent technological advancements in satellite based quantum communication has made it a promising technology for realizing global scale quantum networks. Due to better loss distance scaling compared to ground based fiber communication, satellite quantum communication can distribute high quality quantum entanglements among ground stations that are geographically separated at very long distances. This work focuses on optimal distribution of bipartite entanglements to a set of pair of ground stations using a constellation of orbiting satellites. In particular, we characterize the optimal satelli…

估算光污染对QEYSSat与加拿大量子地面站站点之间量子通信的影响

Estimating the impact of light pollution on quantum communication between QEYSSat and Canadian quantum ground station sites

本文通过地面实测与VIIRS卫星数据比较，评估了加拿大三个城市附近量子地面站的光污染噪声，证明其仍可与QEYSSat进行量子密钥上下行通信。