Breakthrough results in quantum secure encryption over standard optical-fibre networks

Strathclyde physicists, working alongside Scottish and international collaborators have achieved remarkable new results in quantum secure encryption over standard optical-fibre networks. The results were published in Nature Communications. The work, led by Heriot-Watt, focused on the potential of ‘quantum dots’ – semiconductor nanostructures that behave like artificial atoms – to act as single-photon sources for quantum key distribution. Strathclyde led the theory work and utilised recent advances in security analysis, suitably adapted for imperfect single photon sources, to achieve drastic improvements over hitherto standard methods.

Read the Quantum Communications Hub press release.

June 2023