Researchers recently examined advancements in joint detection receivers (JDRs) and entanglement-assisted (EA) data transmission links, highlighting their potential to shape the future of communication networks. The study revealed that these technologies could dramatically surpass the Shannon limit in scenarios with extremely low photon counts, although they require high noise levels to operate effectively.
Study: Quantum advantages for data transmission in future networks: An overview. Image Credit: Toria/Shutterstock.com
Advancements in Communication
In optical networks, signals are transmitted by converting them from electrical to optical form, sending them through optical fibers, and converting them back to electrical signals for digital processing. Optical chips, which incorporate waveguides and phase shifters, enable complex computations like vector-matrix multiplications and can be programmed as unitary matrices.
This technology offers significant advantages for both communication and machine learning (ML) applications, performing calculations much faster than traditional electronic chips. Its potential for low power consumption makes optical signal processing an exciting research area, especially as it outperforms electronic computing in latency, throughput, and energy efficiency.
JDRs are a breakthrough in quantum communication, targeting the Holevo capacity by performing joint measurements on quantum codewords rather than individual symbols. This approach enables JDRs to exceed the capacities of traditional receivers while improving error rates and overall performance.
Experimental designs like the Green Machine receiver demonstrate high photon information efficiency and enhanced resistance to phase noise. Moreover, EA communication shows significant promise in amplified fiber links, particularly in low-photon, noisy environments.
The study found EA communication especially beneficial when optical fiber power is strictly limited and spatial modes increase significantly. Higher communication frequencies offer further potential, although practical challenges have hindered widespread adoption.
The researchers highlighted the advantages of combining multi-mode fibers with JDRs or EA receivers to enhance capacity in noisy environments. Experimental results confirmed that EA communication reduced bit-error rates over a 1.45 km Free-Space Optical link, outperforming non-EA methods.
Advancing Optical Communication
Optical communication technologies are gaining traction for Internet of Things (IoT) applications due to their lower power consumption compared to RF technologies and the added security provided by signal confinement within enclosed spaces. Although standards for optical wireless communication (OWC) are still less developed than RF, the high bandwidth available across spectral ranges like infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet offers substantial benefits for data-intensive tasks.
In factory settings, quantum technologies such as JDRs help address challenges like bulky hardware and cooling requirements. OWC can enhance communication efficiency by using low-power lasers, such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), and lens-based beam spreading to mitigate free-space loss, ambient light noise, and interference. Simulations show that JDRs, with their higher data transmission capacity, can significantly improve performance in high-mobility environments, such as advanced factories.
Receiver Comparison
The Rake receiver, used in code-division multiple-access (CDMA) systems, improves signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and bit error rate (BER) by collecting multipath radio signals through correlators. Although effective, the Rake receiver is not classified as a JDR in this context.
The fast Walsh Hadamard transform (FWHT) is critical for JDRs, as it processes signals using orthogonal codes to reduce interference. While FWHT is fundamental to electronic signal processing, implementing it optically provides power consumption advantages due to passive components like beam splitters. In optical processing, FWHT can be integrated into photonic chips, where power consumption is influenced by the number of phase shifters and chip configuration.
Despite the lower power consumption of optical JDR implementations compared to electronic counterparts, challenges remain regarding complexity and integration. Theoretical and experimental efforts must address non-destructive measurements and practical JDR architectures. While EA communication systems face limitations such as fiber nonlinearities and photon count constraints, they offer significant potential for advancing network capacities, especially with the advent of higher frequency bands and novel modulation schemes.
Conclusion
In summary, the review highlights the potential of joint detection receivers and entanglement-assisted communication for secure, resilient, low-data-rate networks. While JDR technology holds promise, practical implementation of EA communication faces notable challenges but is expected to become more feasible in the future.
Technological hurdles remain significant, including integrating advanced components and reducing power consumption. However, optical computation provides distinct advantages over traditional electronic methods. Future work should focus on bridging theoretical and experimental gaps and exploring applications in fields such as X-ray communication and handling new noise types.
Journal Reference
Amiri, Z., et al. (2024). Quantum advantages for data transmission in future networks: An overview. Computer Networks, 254, 110727. DOI: 10.1016/j.comnet.2024.110727, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389128624005590
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