Quantum Communication with Ultrafast Time-Bin Qubits

The photonic temporal degree of freedom is one of the most promising platforms for quantum communication over fiber networks and free-space channels. In particular, time-bin states of photons are robust to environmental disturbances, support high-rate communication, and can be used in high-dimension...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PRX quantum 2022-02, Vol.3 (1), p.010332, Article 010332
Main Authors: Bouchard, Frédéric, England, Duncan, Bustard, Philip J., Heshami, Khabat, Sussman, Benjamin
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:The photonic temporal degree of freedom is one of the most promising platforms for quantum communication over fiber networks and free-space channels. In particular, time-bin states of photons are robust to environmental disturbances, support high-rate communication, and can be used in high-dimensional schemes. However, the detection of photonic time-bin states remains a challenging task, particularly for the case of photons that are in a superposition of different time bins. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of picosecond time-bin states of light, known as ultrafast time bins, for applications in quantum communications. With the ability to measure time-bin superpositions with excellent phase stability, we enable the use of temporal states in efficient quantum key distribution protocols such as the BB84 protocol.
ISSN:2691-3399
2691-3399
DOI:10.1103/PRXQuantum.3.010332