Project: Optical metrology for quantum enhanced secure telecommunication

With increasing amounts of data being sent and stored across networks, there is a pressing need to ensure data security. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) provides two parties with a perfectly secure random key which can be used to encrypt and decrypt messages, offering a level of security beyond that possible with current systems. QKD technology could be used to support the competitiveness of European industry and provide improved data security in banking, commerce, government, and the transmission of personal data, such as medical records. However, to achieve this, measurement infrastructure and standards for quantum optical technologies, such as QKD, are needed. This project aims to accelerate the development and commercial success of QKD technologies, through the development of metrological capacity in quantum optical technologies. The project will provide efficient, cost-effective measurement techniques for the development of counter-measures to hacking attacks on existing QKD systems, as well as the foundational metrology needed for next-generation entanglement-based QKD systems.

Acronym 14IND05 MIQC2 (Reference Number: 14IND05)
Duration 01/06/2015 - 31/05/2018
Project Topic Metrology
Project Results
(after finalisation)
See Website
Website visit project website
Network EMPIR
Call EMPIR CALL 2014

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica Coordinator Italy
2 Aalto-korkeakoulusäätiö Partner Finland
3 Cesky Metrologicky Institut Partner Czech Republic
4 AS Metrosert Partner Estonia
5 NPL Management Limited Partner United Kingdom
6 Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Partner Germany
7 Politecnico di Milano Partner Italy
8 Toshiba Research Europe Limited Partner United Kingdom
9 Technische Universität Berlin Partner Germany
10 Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Partner Germany
11 ID Quantique SA Observer Switzerland
12 Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science Observer Korea, Republic of
13 Eidgenössisches Institut für Metrologie METAS Observer Switzerland
14 Micro Photon Devices S.R.L. Observer Italy
15 Universite de Geneve Observer Switzerland