Experimental verification of the feasibility of a quantum channel between space and Earth

Autor(en)

Paolo Villoresi, Thomas Jennewein, F Tamburini, Markus Aspelmeyer, C Bonato, Rupert Ursin, C Pernechele, V Luceri, C Bianco, Anton Zeilinger, Cesare Barbieri

Abstrakt

Extending quantum communication to space environments wouldenable us to perform fundamental experiments on quantum physics as well asapplications of quantum information at planetary and interplanetary scales. Here,we report on the first experimental study of the conditions for the implementationof the single-photon exchange between a satellite and an Earth-based station.Webuilt an experiment that mimics a single photon source on a satellite, exploitingthe telescope at the Matera Laser Ranging Observatory of the Italian SpaceAgency to detect the transmitted photons. Weak laser pulses, emitted by theground-based station, are directed toward a satellite equipped with cube-cornerretroreflectors. These reflect a small portion of the pulse, with an average of lessthan-one photon per pulse directed to our receiver, as required for faint-pulse

Organisation(en)

Quantenoptik, Quantennanophysik und Quanteninformation

Externe Organisation(en)

Università degli Studi di Padova, Instituto Nazionale die Astrofisica (INAF)

Journal

New Journal of Physics

Band

10

Anzahl der Seiten

12

ISSN

1367-2630

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/10/3/033038

Publikationsdatum

2008

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

103026 Quantenoptik

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/e049baa2-9762-44e2-a391-ac0cf59356ae