Researchers at the Raman Research Institute (RRI) have successfully demonstrated that secure communication is established between a stationary source and a moving receiver using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD).
This groundbreaking demonstration could pave the way for secure satellite-based quantum communication in the future, according to a statement released by RRI on Saturday.
“These results, the scientists say, could help India to design and provide secure communication channels, especially for defense and strategic purposes, improve cyber security and make online transactions more secure than at present,” they said. read in the statement.
To achieve this feat, a team of researchers led by Professor Urbasi Sinha at the Quantum Information and Computing (QuIC) laboratory implemented the locally developed Signaling, Acquisition and Tracking (PAT) system.
The PAT helped the ground source track the moving receiver in this case, a ground vehicle, a few meters away.
The successful experimental demo took place at RRI in early March this year, the statement said.
He added that this work is part of the Quantum Experiments using Satellite Technology (QuEST) project for which RRI has been collaborating with the UR Rao Satellite Center of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) since 2017.
“The current demonstration is a follow-up to the QuIC laboratory QKD demonstration established between two buildings located on the RRI campus using an atmospheric free space channel in February 2021, another first in India,” according to RRI.
In satellite-based long-distance quantum communication, the ground station must maintain line of sight with the moving satellite, RRI said.
“Although the PAT system has been widely used in satellite communications, achieving the establishment of a secure distribution of quantum keys using the PAT system between a stationary source and a mobile receiver has not been achieved before in India,” the statement read. the notice.
“We are very pleased with this new achievement. As this phase of the experiment coincided with the second wave of COVID-19, we addressed various issues related to team member changes, acquisition delays, and new COVID variants. However, the The team, including members of the laboratory, as well as the institute’s workshop and allied facilities, worked tirelessly to make this happen,” said Professor Sinha.