Communications of the ACM
Quantum Network Joins Four People Together for Encrypted Messaging
Researchers in Austria have designed a network that uses quantum key distribution to secure messages among four users.
Credit: Aeriform/Getty
Researchers at the University of Vienna in Austria have designed a network that uses quantum key distribution (QKD) to secure messages among four users.
Although QKD systems often depend on the polarization, or orientation, of a photon, the Vienna researchers tapped the frequency of the photon's light, which can be tuned to permit connections with several other users.
The team used a laser to entangle photons, then divided the resulting light spectrum into 12 separate channels that each had a different frequency.
The four users were linked via fiber-optic cables that each held three channels, making a central hub for routing communications unnecessary.
Said Vienna's Robert Ursin, "If you want to scale the network up, you just add the hardware required for one of the users. It’s much like the classical internet where everyone gets a router."
From New Scientist
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