Abstract:
The field of quantum information science aims to leverage the properties of quantum mechanics to realize new approaches for computing and communication. In this presentation, I will review the basic building blocks of a classical optical communication system. From there, I will describe a communication system in which the photonic wavepackets have less than one photon - and hence entering the quantum regime. Surprisingly, the number of bits that can be encoded on a single quanta is nearly limitless. I will show how this property, along with the indistinguishability of certain quantum states, can be used to realize a quantum communication system for sharing a secret key between two parties. This system is secure against an attack by an eavesdropper due to the fundamental properties of quantum mechanics.
