"A Nanoantenna for Long-Distance, Ultra-Secure Quantum Communication"

A nanoantenna has been built by researchers from Japan that brings quantum information networks closer to practical use. Researchers at Osaka University, in collaboration with their partners, have significantly improved photon-to-electron conversion using a metal nanostructure, which is a step forward in the development of advanced technologies for data sharing and processing. Classical computer information relies on simple on/off readouts, while quantum information is based on more complex and secure readouts, such as electron spin and photon polarization. Researchers have proposed semiconductor nanoboxes known as quantum dots for storing and transferring quantum information, but quantum repeater technologies face limitations. For example, current methods for converting photon-based information to electron-based information have been proven to be inefficient. The researchers aimed to address this challenge of information conversion and transfer. One researcher explained that converting single photons into single electrons in gallium arsenide quantum dots (materials commonly used in quantum communication research) is not efficient enough. Therefore, the team designed a nanoantenna containing tiny concentric gold rings to focus light onto a single quantum dot, which results in their device giving a voltage readout. They improved photon absorption by a factor of up to 9. This article continues to discuss the nanoantenna designed for long-distance, secure quantum communication. 

SciTechDaily reports "A Nanoantenna for Long-Distance, Ultra-Secure Quantum Communication"