Researchers from Russia have proposed a unique architecture of a quantum network, which can significantly reduce the financial costs of its deployment and subsequent maintenance.
Specialists from the NITU “Quantum Communications” Center of NUST “MISiS”, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) and the Russian Quantum Center (RQC) took part in the work.
The essence of the method is to use optical switches and reduce the number of quantum key distribution devices. It is argued that thanks to this approach, the cost of a quantum network can be reduced by more than a quarter - by 28%.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a method of transferring a secret key between two parties, the security of which is based on the fundamental laws of quantum physics. In practice, the application of this technology is fraught with a number of difficulties: in particular, the high cost of QKD devices and the need to ensure acceptable transmission rates of secret keys between the communicating parties.
Russian researchers suggest using optical switches of existing fiber-optic networks as part of quantum networks. This, it is argued, will reduce the number of QKD devices used, and therefore reduce the cost.
“ The idea behind using switches is that the optical channels of the existing telecommunications structure are very heterogeneous in terms of losses, so the key generation rate varies greatly in different segments. Therefore, at least in the case of a backbone quantum network configuration, it makes no sense to organize continuous key generation at all sections - the key generation rate is limited by the slowest channel. Thus, the use of optical switches in low-loss segments can help to significantly reduce the total cost of a quantum network, while the rate of secret key generation remains quite high, ”the scientists say.
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