(LaserFocusWorld) Field tests are solving the challenges of counting photons and measuring their quantum states in quantum key distribution (QKD)-based optical transmission networks to ensure communications security.
Commercially viable QKD transmitters and receivers are available—however, they are physically large and expensive, and only suitable for very high-value security applications. The aspiration of the industry is to address these size, weight, and power (SWaP) limitations, to deliver practical quantum-secured communications that will open broader markets for consumers, commerce, and government.
A major step towards SWaP-saving is to engineer QKD on affordable chips, such as those that will fit into a smartphone. The physics is proven, but the challenge is developing small-enough devices. QKD systems are being developed in many countries, most notably in Austria, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, the U.S., as well as the UK.
Challenges in Development of Commercially Viable QKD Transmitters & Receivers
