Periodic Reporting for period 2 - QCALL (Quantum Communications for ALL)
Reporting period: 2018-12-01 to 2021-05-31
Quantum Communications for ALL (QCALL) aimed at bringing the developing quantum technologies closer to the doorsteps of end users. Quantum communications (QC) is well-known for its offering ultrasecure cryptographic key-exchange schemes—resilient to any future technological advancement. QCALL empowered a nucleus of researchers in this area to provide secure communications in our continent and, in the long run, to our connections worldwide. QCALL was a precursor to recent activities enabled by the EU Quantum Flagship Programme and helped expedite its progress. By covering a range of projects, with short, mid, and long-term visions, and using a balanced and multifaceted training programme, QCALL trained a cadre of highly qualified interdisciplinary workforce capable of shaping the R&D section of the field, hence accelerating its widespread adoption. In QCALL, we explored the challenges of integrating quantum and classical communications networks, which is essential in providing cost-efficient services. We experimentally examined and theoretically studied new protocols by which network users could exchange secure keys with each other. We investigated disruptive technologies that enabled wireless access to such quantum networks, and developed new devices and protocols that enabled multi-party QC. Our meticulously planned training programme included components from shared taught courses through to scientific schools and complementary-skill workshops, supplemented by secondment opportunities and innovative outreach and dissemination activities. This created a structured model for doctoral training in EU that could last beyond the life of the project, so would the industry-academic collaborations that are essential to the development of the disruptive technologies that will make QC available to ALL.
Over the course of the project, QCALL has successfully made substantial progress towards its objectives. In particular,
- Our training agenda has been followed and implemented in full. We have organised scientific schools and workshops as proposed. In particular, we successfully organised and delivered
our kick-off meeting in Leeds, in Oct 2017, followed by a complimentary skill (CS) workshop on project management and web page development;
the scientific school on quantum secure communications (SQSC) in May 2018, in Vigo, Spain, with 70+ participants from across the world;
the scientific school on quantum communications networks (SQCN) in Sept 2018, in Padova, Italy, with around 70 participants from across the world;
the second CS workshop on presentation and writing skills in Sept 2018 in Padova, Italy; and
the third CS workshop on commercialisation and entrepreneurship in Sept 2019 in Italy.
- All ESRs have been involved with at least one outreach activity in every year of their studies. This includes writing public science posts on the QCALL web page; making short video clips to explain the key concepts behind their research, and engaging with public via QCALL Open Day as well as local public science event in their host cities.
- All ESRs are enrolled as PhD students in one of the beneficiary universities involved, and almost all of them have already graduated with the rest are expected to finish in a few months.
- All ESRs have had visits/secondments to relevant partner organisations and/or other beneficiary partners.
- In terms of research outcomes, we have achieved, or have gone beyond, all set objectives in the original plan. Over the course of the project, our cohort has published nearly 100 journal and conference papers, all of which have appeared in highly cited journals.
- Our training agenda has been followed and implemented in full. We have organised scientific schools and workshops as proposed. In particular, we successfully organised and delivered
our kick-off meeting in Leeds, in Oct 2017, followed by a complimentary skill (CS) workshop on project management and web page development;
the scientific school on quantum secure communications (SQSC) in May 2018, in Vigo, Spain, with 70+ participants from across the world;
the scientific school on quantum communications networks (SQCN) in Sept 2018, in Padova, Italy, with around 70 participants from across the world;
the second CS workshop on presentation and writing skills in Sept 2018 in Padova, Italy; and
the third CS workshop on commercialisation and entrepreneurship in Sept 2019 in Italy.
- All ESRs have been involved with at least one outreach activity in every year of their studies. This includes writing public science posts on the QCALL web page; making short video clips to explain the key concepts behind their research, and engaging with public via QCALL Open Day as well as local public science event in their host cities.
- All ESRs are enrolled as PhD students in one of the beneficiary universities involved, and almost all of them have already graduated with the rest are expected to finish in a few months.
- All ESRs have had visits/secondments to relevant partner organisations and/or other beneficiary partners.
- In terms of research outcomes, we have achieved, or have gone beyond, all set objectives in the original plan. Over the course of the project, our cohort has published nearly 100 journal and conference papers, all of which have appeared in highly cited journals.
QCALL has managed to advance the state of the art in several aspects:
- ESRs at Toshiba Research Europe Ltd (TREL) have developed chip-based technology for QKD encoders that rely on time-bin encoding. They have also contributed to the implementation of one of the most recent QKD protocol, known as twin-field QKD, which improves the rate-versus-distance scaling in an unprecedented way. Using this technique, they have recently set the record for the longest fibre-based QKD link with no trusted node in between at 600 km.
- ESR at Telecom ParisTech has developed new hybrid cryptography frameworks that accounts for realistic limitations for an eavesdropper. This has opened up the possibility of designing new, and more efficient, protocols that will find use in certain practical applications.
- ESR at ID Quantique (IDQ) has tested new hacking strategies and developed their countermeasures in the context of commercial QKD devices. They have also improved the performance of single-photon detectors used in their QKD and quantum random number generator modules.
- ESRs at the University of Vigo have developed new techniques for analysing the security of QKD systems under flaws that appear in their implementation. These results set bounds on various specification of QKD modules, e.g. the amount of correlation between two consecutive pulses, the extent at which multi-photon components can be tolerated; or the practicality of some of QKD protocols in use in commercial settings.
- ESRs at the University of Leeds have addressed the rate-versus-distance improvement via systems that rely on TF-QKD or imperfect quantum memories all the way to advanced quantum repeater systems. Their analysis show how one can achieve higher key generation rates in realistic memory-assisted QKD systems in the finite-key regime. They also specify regimes of operation where near-term repeater technologies can improve system performance.
- ESRs at the University of Padova have developed new beam alignment techniques for free-space QKD as well as semi device independent methods for quantum random number generation.
- ESRs at the University of Dusseldorf have developed analytical techniques for hybrid satellite-repeater systems as well as QKD techniques for multi-partite quantum communications.
- ESRs at the University of Geneva have tested new rare-earth-ion-doped material for quantum storage and have shown the possibility of storing multiple modes of light. They have also developed simple and secure QKD protocols that eases the way for widespread deployment of QKD, among many other contributions to practical quantum settings. And,
- ESR at Sorbonne University has developed a generic framework to prove the security of continuous-variable QKD systems, as well as novel experiments on the quantum money concept.
In addition to developing state of the art technology, QCALL members have been involved in providing useful policy feedbacks throughout the quantum flagship programme. Many members of the QCALL have been engaged with the Quantum Communication Infrastructure initiative, such as OpenQKD project. Several QCALL members, e.g. TREL, IDQ, University of Waterloo, University of Leeds, and Technical University of Madrid, have also contributed to the standardisation activities conducted at European Telecommunication Standard Institute (ETSI) Industry Specification Group (ISG) on QKD. This ISG also hosts a large number of telecom operators, which would be the key to getting access to large markets for QKD technologies.
- ESRs at Toshiba Research Europe Ltd (TREL) have developed chip-based technology for QKD encoders that rely on time-bin encoding. They have also contributed to the implementation of one of the most recent QKD protocol, known as twin-field QKD, which improves the rate-versus-distance scaling in an unprecedented way. Using this technique, they have recently set the record for the longest fibre-based QKD link with no trusted node in between at 600 km.
- ESR at Telecom ParisTech has developed new hybrid cryptography frameworks that accounts for realistic limitations for an eavesdropper. This has opened up the possibility of designing new, and more efficient, protocols that will find use in certain practical applications.
- ESR at ID Quantique (IDQ) has tested new hacking strategies and developed their countermeasures in the context of commercial QKD devices. They have also improved the performance of single-photon detectors used in their QKD and quantum random number generator modules.
- ESRs at the University of Vigo have developed new techniques for analysing the security of QKD systems under flaws that appear in their implementation. These results set bounds on various specification of QKD modules, e.g. the amount of correlation between two consecutive pulses, the extent at which multi-photon components can be tolerated; or the practicality of some of QKD protocols in use in commercial settings.
- ESRs at the University of Leeds have addressed the rate-versus-distance improvement via systems that rely on TF-QKD or imperfect quantum memories all the way to advanced quantum repeater systems. Their analysis show how one can achieve higher key generation rates in realistic memory-assisted QKD systems in the finite-key regime. They also specify regimes of operation where near-term repeater technologies can improve system performance.
- ESRs at the University of Padova have developed new beam alignment techniques for free-space QKD as well as semi device independent methods for quantum random number generation.
- ESRs at the University of Dusseldorf have developed analytical techniques for hybrid satellite-repeater systems as well as QKD techniques for multi-partite quantum communications.
- ESRs at the University of Geneva have tested new rare-earth-ion-doped material for quantum storage and have shown the possibility of storing multiple modes of light. They have also developed simple and secure QKD protocols that eases the way for widespread deployment of QKD, among many other contributions to practical quantum settings. And,
- ESR at Sorbonne University has developed a generic framework to prove the security of continuous-variable QKD systems, as well as novel experiments on the quantum money concept.
In addition to developing state of the art technology, QCALL members have been involved in providing useful policy feedbacks throughout the quantum flagship programme. Many members of the QCALL have been engaged with the Quantum Communication Infrastructure initiative, such as OpenQKD project. Several QCALL members, e.g. TREL, IDQ, University of Waterloo, University of Leeds, and Technical University of Madrid, have also contributed to the standardisation activities conducted at European Telecommunication Standard Institute (ETSI) Industry Specification Group (ISG) on QKD. This ISG also hosts a large number of telecom operators, which would be the key to getting access to large markets for QKD technologies.