In a significant leap for India's quantum technology ambitions, researchers at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune have developed a critical innovation that could transform the nation's existing telecom infrastructure into the backbone of future secure communication networks.
PhotonSync: Synchronizing the Future with Light
The breakthrough comes from the Precision and Quantum Measurement Laboratory (PQM-lab) at IUCAA. Led by Principal Investigator Prof Subhadeep De and his postdoctoral fellow Dr. Stanley Johnson, the team has designed and demonstrated an ultra-stable Phase-Coherent Fiber (PCF) link using entirely indigenous hardware. They have named the core system PhotonSync.
"PhotonSync transforms an ordinary telecom optical fiber into a highly specialized, ultra-stable link," explained Prof De. The technology uses photons themselves to synchronize geographically separated locations with extraordinary stability, preserving the precise quantum characteristics of information encoded in light over long distances.
Indigenous Tech with National Significance
This marks the first time such a critical technology has been developed within India. The team has already secured a trademark for the name PhotonSync and patented the underlying intellectual property, with the scientific work published in the reputable international journal Communications Physics.
"Indigenization of this technology is dedicated to the national effort towards Viksit Bharat," Prof De stated, highlighting its strategic importance. The innovation leverages the country's vast network of standard telecom optical fibers, potentially saving enormous costs and accelerating deployment.
Scalable Applications and Quantum Security
The laboratory has successfully demonstrated stable performance over fiber spans of up to 80 km, with ambitious plans to extend the system to 1000 km. The applications are vast and transformative:
- Enhancing optical fiber-based quantum communication and long-distance quantum entanglement.
- Paving the way for a future quantum internet.
- Intercomparing atomic clocks placed far apart with unprecedented accuracy.
- Creating an ultra-stable channel to build a quantum network among sensors, computers, and communication devices.
In a key collaboration with Prof. Anirban Pathak and Dr. Sandeep Mishra from Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida, the team has established the relevance of their PCF link for twin-field quantum key distribution (TFQKD). TFQKD is a leading protocol for long-distance quantum-secure communication, meaning PhotonSync could be fundamental for creating hack-proof communication networks.
By using photons as quantum bits (qubits) to transport delicate quantum states, this technology positions India at the forefront of building the large-scale, secure quantum communication infrastructure of tomorrow.
