NIST researchers have developed a new device that could significantly improve quantum data transmission through fiber-optic cables. The device, developed in collaboration with Stanford University, uses a lithium niobate crystal to split photon beams into two different colors, allowing twice as much quantum information to be sent through a single beam. This could potentially overcome a major hurdle in transmitting quantum information through existing fiber-optic networks.
The new method could lead to commercial systems that help safeguard sensitive information transfer. While conventional fiber-optic systems transmit data as light pulses, quantum information encoded in photon states can be detected by eavesdroppers. The new device addresses this issue by allowing the use of slower silicon detectors, which are more economically viable than other options. The researchers hope this innovation could significantly increase the amount of information that can be sent through fiber-optic cables.
Keywords: Photon, Quantum, Infrared, Silicon, Detector
