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Research on Quantum Communication Repeaters

Quantum-based techniques for transferring and storing information have been demonstrated.

A program of research during the years 2001 through 2006 was devoted to building theoretical and practical foundations for the development of quantum repeaters as means of overcoming losses of photons in long-distance quantum communication systems. The idea underlying this research was to investigate means of utilizing suitably prepared ensembles of atoms (e.g. rubidium vapors) as means of storing and transferring the information encoded in the states of photons. The main accomplishments of this research, in approximate chronological order, include the following:

  • Quantum repeaters based on ensembles of atoms, atom-atom correlations mediated by dark-state polaritons, and generation of stationary pulses of light were proposed and analyzed theoretically.
  • Experiments were performed to demonstrate atomic memory for correlated photon states, stationary pulses of light, and shaping of quantum pulses via atomic memory.
  • In the first realization of a two-node quantum network, generation and storage of single-photon pulses in two remote ensembles of atoms connected via a single photon was demonstrated.
  • A method involving the use of fixed, minimal physical resources was proposed to achieve generation and nested purification of quantum entanglement for quantum communication over arbitrarily long distances. In one embodiment of this method, the fixed, minimal resources are solid-state single-photon emitters, each having two internal degrees of freedom formed by an electron spin and a nuclear spin. These resources would be used to build intermediate nodes in a quantum channel. It was shown that the fixed, minimal physical resources should suffice to correct arbitrary errors, making a quantumbased communication protocol robust to all realistic sources of decoherence. Recently, a node that utilized nitrogenvacancy centers in a room-temperature diamond lattice was demonstrated.

This work was done by Mikhail Lukin, Alexander Zibrov, Ehud Altman, Vlatko Balic, Gurudev Dutt, Dimitry Petrov, Anatoli Polkovnikov, Andre Sorensen, Casper van der Wal, Philip Walther, Daw-wei Wang, Tomasso Calarco, Ana Maria Rey, Axel Andr, Michal Bajscy, Darrick Chang, Lilian Childress, Matthew Eisaman, Mohammad Hafezi, Michael Hohensee, Jiang Liang, Aryesh Mukherjee, Alex Nemiroski, Jacob Taylor, Emre Togan, Saijun Wu, Florent Massou dit Labaquere, and Sidharth Shenai of Harvard College; Philip Hemmer and Mughees Khan of Texas A&M University; Peter Zoller of the University of Innsbruck; Ronald Walsworth of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; and Charles Marcus of Harvard University for the Naval Research Laboratory.

Topics:
Communication protocols Communication systems Education and training People and personalities Photonics Research and development Telecommunications
This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
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Research on Quantum Communication Repeaters

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    Defense Tech Briefs Magazine

    This article first appeared in the October, 2007 issue of Defense Tech Briefs Magazine (Vol. 1 No. 5).

    Read more articles from the archives here.

    Overview

    The document is the final report for Award N00014-02-1-0599, submitted by Professor Mikhail Lukin on March 14, 2007, detailing research conducted from May 1, 2002, to November 30, 2006. The project focused on the development of a quantum repeater for long-distance quantum communication using photonic information storage, a pioneering effort in the field.

    The report begins with a statement of the problem studied and an abstract that outlines the project's objectives and achievements. The research aimed to address the challenges of photon loss in long-distance quantum communication, which is critical for the advancement of quantum networking technologies. The work has been influential, inspiring subsequent research in the field.

    Key highlights of the project include theoretical proposals for quantum repeaters based on atomic ensembles, which were published in notable journals such as Nature and Physical Review Letters. The report details several significant experimental demonstrations, including the creation of atomic memory for correlated photon states, the generation of stationary pulses of light, and the shaping of quantum pulses via atomic memory. One of the major accomplishments was the realization of a two-node quantum network that involved the generation and storage of single photon pulses in two remote atomic ensembles.

    The report also includes a comprehensive listing of publications and technical reports supported under the grant, categorized into peer-reviewed journals, non-peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and invited presentations. Additionally, it lists manuscripts submitted but not yet published, showcasing the ongoing contributions to the field.

    The document emphasizes the collaborative nature of the research, highlighting the participation of various scientific personnel and their contributions, including any advanced degrees earned during the project. It also notes the honors received and other sponsored support related to the research.

    Overall, the report serves as a significant record of the advancements made in quantum communication technology, particularly through the innovative use of atomic ensembles for photon-state storage and the implementation of quantum repeaters. The findings have laid the groundwork for future developments in quantum networking, making it a vital resource for researchers and practitioners in the field.

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