Quantum-noise randomized secure optical fiber and microwave wireless communications

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H01329
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 21020:Communication and network engineering-related
• Research Institution: Tamagawa University
• Principal Investigator: TANIZAWA Ken 玉川大学, 量子情報科学研究所, 教授 (10709489)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 物理レイヤ暗号化 / 無線通信 / ミリ波 / 光ファイバ通信

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Improving security is an important challenge in communication systems that will support future smart society. We have studied physical layer encryption that utilizes quantum uncertainty of light to directly prevent signal interception in communication systems where optical fiber and radio wireless transmissions are converged. After short-reach fiber transmission using analog optical intensity modulation, the encrypted signal was generated at radio frequencies via direct detection. This encrypted signal is upconverted to a millimeter wave band for wireless communication. High-speed communications at gigabits per second or faster was achieved while quantitatively guaranteeing security of both optical and radio signals seamlessly. We also succeeded in simplifying the transmitter configuration, which is an achievement beyond the scope of the original research.

Free Research Field

光通信

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で実証した光と電波でシームレスに高い安全性を実現できる物理レイヤ暗号化は，情報通信の盗聴に対するセキュリティを飛躍的に高めるものであり，我々の生活を基盤として支えるインターネットの安全性の向上に将来的に貢献することが期待される．将来の高速通信に応用可能であるため，実用的な価値が高い．本研究を通じて，量子雑音による暗号化の電波帯における安全性を評価する基盤を構築することができた．これはこの暗号技術の工学的な体系化に貢献するものである．