The integration of quantum frequency-entangled with coherent information transmission is a crucial step towards the development of the quantum internet, the next generation of telecommunications technology. Researchers at Leibniz University Hannover have made significant progress in this area by successfully sending entangled photons and laser pulses of the same color over a single optical fiber, a groundbreaking achievement in the field.
The team at Leibniz University Hannover developed a new transmitter-receiver concept that allows for the transmission of entangled photons over optical fibers. This innovative approach paves the way for the cohabitation of quantum and conventional internet signals in the same optical fiber without the need for multiplexing. This is a significant advancement that could revolutionize the way data is transmitted and processed in the future.
Michael Kues, head of the Institute of Photonics at Leibniz University Hannover, emphasized the importance of transmitting entangled photons via fiber optic networks to make the quantum internet a reality. The team’s research aims to combine the conventional internet with the quantum internet, enabling seamless integration of both transmission methods.
In their experiment, the researchers demonstrated that the entanglement of photons can be maintained even when they are sent together with a laser pulse. This was made possible through the use of the serrodyne technique, which allows for the temporal multiplexing of entangled and coherent photons. By matching the color of the laser pulse with the entangled photons, the researchers were able to combine them in an optical fiber and separate them again, a key breakthrough in the field.
The integration of entangled photons and laser pulses in the same color channel opens up new possibilities for hybrid networks that can support both quantum and conventional data transmission. This eliminates the previous limitation of blocking a data channel in the optical fiber when using entangled photons, allowing for more efficient use of the available resources.
The successful demonstration of this concept represents a significant step towards the practical implementation of hybrid networks that can support the coexistence of quantum and conventional internet signals. The research conducted by the team at Leibniz University Hannover has been published in Science Advances, highlighting the importance and impact of their work in advancing the field of quantum telecommunications technology.
Overall, the research conducted by the team at Leibniz University Hannover represents a significant advancement in the field of quantum telecommunications technology. Their innovative approach to integrating entangled photons and laser pulses in the same optical fiber opens up new possibilities for the development of the quantum internet, paving the way for a more efficient and resource-effective telecommunications infrastructure in the future.