European Metrology Network for Quantum Technologies

The secure exchange of keys used to encrypt and decrypt information is a weak spot in many cryptography systems. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) uses single photons to share encryption keys between two parties, who are connected via an optical (fibre or free-space) channel. By measuring the photons’ properties, it’s possible to detect whether anyone...

The ability to measure single photons of light is gaining importance in emerging research applications from space-earth communications with weak laser light sources, to event counting in biochemical microscopy important for tissue sample analysis, to silicon chip failure diagnostics using light emitted from transistors. All these potential applicat...