Project Details
Information security in the internet age relies on precarious computational assumptions which could be violated by either future mathematical advances or a sufficiently complex quantum computer. A potential solution to this hazard is quantum key distribution (QKD), whereby two parties can establish a cryptographic key with theoretical security based on the laws of physics. Nevertheless, QKD is plagued by practical deficiencies, including key generation rates which fall orders of magnitude below those of classical channels. Here I propose to capitalize on high-dimensional quantum states with the potential to transmit many bits of information per photon and thereby increase QKD rates. Specifically, I hope to: (i) demonstrate for the first time single-cycle temporal entanglement, (ii) develop tools for quantum characterization, and (iii) improve on the current state of the art in time-frequency quantum information, providing groundwork toward more effective quantum-based security.
