Entanglement and Quantum Key Distribution at ESA

Transcription

1 Entanglement and Quantum Key Distribution at ESA Eric Wille, TEC-MMO E.Murphy, TEC-MME ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use

2 Entanglement and QKD Motivation Fundamental Research - Limitations of Quantum Physics - Quantum Gravity & Decoherence Applications & Products - Quantum Key Distribution Benefits for Society - Safe communication & privacy - Quantum safe communication ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use ESA 01/01/2016 Slide 2

3 History of ESA activities on QKD, up to : Space Quest Proposal for an ISS experiment (fundamental physics & QKD) [Next Decade]: Several technology, system study and business case activities km entanglement distribution (2007) km quantum teleportation (2012) - Increasing TRL of faint pulse and entangled photon sources from 2-4 Post 2013: - Reformulation of the ISS experiment proposal towards quantum gravity - First TRL 5 prototype being developed under ARTES ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use ESA 01/01/2016 Slide 3

4 Entanglement and QKD: Status, post 2015 August 2015: NSA announced that it is planning to transition to a new cypher suite that is resistant to quantum attacks January 2016: Launch of EDRS with an optical terminal; demonstrating operational maturity of laser communication February 2016: NIST kicks off efforts to Defend Encrypted Data from Quantum Computer Threat May 2016: European Commission announced launch of 1 B Quantum Flagship August 2016: Launch of QUESS satellite (China with Austrian contribution) In addition: strong increase of R&D funding, mission proposals and commercial interest in QKD (inside and outside of ESA) December 2016: ARTES ScyLight proposal to the ESA Council at Ministerial level: SeCure and Laser communication Technology ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use ESA 01/01/2016 Slide 4

5 Quantum Links (Eventually) to Space Creation and study of long distance entanglement and QKD (Demonstration): Past: Terrestrial 143 km link between Tenerife and La Palma demonstrating entanglement (2007) and quantum teleportation (2013) (Nature Physics 3, (2007), Nature 489, (2012)) Future: Extending to > 500 km requires space (ISS, GEO, Moon,.) Interaction between gravity and quantum entanglement (Space Science case): The interaction between an entangled quantum state propagating through a gravity gradient (eg. away from earth) is unknown. A ground-space quantum link would allow to probe on how gravity acts on the quantum properties of light. Moon vs. ISS: longer link durations, longer distances, stronger gravity gradients: higher sensitivity to see quantum gravity effects. ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use ESA 01/01/2016 Slide 5

6 Quantum Links to Space (ISS) Double down-link Single link (up or down) ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use ESA 01/01/2016 Slide 6

7 Application Area: Secure Communication Utilisation of quantum cryptography for laser communication links: Classical laser communication links are now used for operational systems (eg. TESAT laser terminal). Adding a quantum link (ie. a transceiver for entangled photons) would allow quantum secure key distributions between: ground <-> space ground <-> ground (intercontinental) ESA is developing the transceiver technology and analysing different application scenarios and business cases. Strong benefits from ESA s classical laser communication developments ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use ESA 01/01/2016 Slide 7

8 Recent and ongoing development activities TRP s: Entangled Photon Source for Quantum Communications (bulk & Integrated optics) [C] ARTES-5.1: Photonic Transceiver for Secure Space Communications [C] ARTES-5.2: Photonic Transceiver for Secure Space Communications: New Space Suitable Entangled Photon Source [Ongoing] GSP: Experimental Evaluation of Quantum Teleportation for Space Systems [C, 2012] TRP: Applications of Optical Quantum Links to GNSS [C] ARTES-1: Introduction of Quantum Communications in Satellite Communication Networks [C, 2012] In addition: Evaluation and system studies of mission proposals received by the scientific community ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use ESA 01/01/2016 Slide 8

9 Summary Quantum communication has scientific and practical applications Quantum key distribution can solve existing security problems, but no big market, yet Suitable photon sources will soon reach TRL5 Optical terminal technology has reached TRL9 and is a growing market [Key enabling infrastructure] Quantum links have been demonstrated over long distances (ground and space) ScyLight ESA/JCB(2016)78, rev.1 Line 4 (Quantum Cryptography Technologies) ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use ESA 01/01/2016 Slide 9 Quantum Communications and Entanglement Eric Wille et al ESTEC 17/01/2012 Pag. 9