PRESENTATION

Advancing Quantum Communications with PICs

Quantum key distribution (QKD) exploits the principles of quantum mechanics and information theory to exchange symmetric encryption keys. In this physical alternative to our conventional computational cryptographic schemes, remote parties communicate information encoded onto the quantum states of single photons, which enables information leakage to be precisely quantified and ensures maximal levels of confidentiality of the channel used for key exchange. While this technology has matured from theoretical concepts to field trials and commercial products in recent years, the required optical hardware is currently expensive and bulky, and offers limited scalability. Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) promise a route to scalability and industrialisation that will allow QKD to become a pervasive technology within society. In recent years, Toshiba actively contributed to establish PICs as a viable technology for QKD. Through a series of key results obtained at the Cambridge Research Lab, we will review how monolithic integration, hybrid integration and advanced laser technology can be used efficiently to engineer state-of-the-art QKD systems able to address complex deployment challenges in all segments of our optical communication networks.