Tangling with telecomes

Abstract

At the CSIR’s National Laser Centre, a team of researchers is pursuing Free Space Quantum Communication: transmitting optical signals by using the quantum properties of laser light. The aim is to provide secure and safe ways of communication using lasers as opposed to fibre optic cables. Fibre optics have revolutionised hard-wired communications, but they can be tapped or tampered with. There’s a significant benefit to using quantum methods: tapping into an encrypted quantum communication would (a) destroy the data being communicated, and (b) be registered as an intrusion. No fiddling or tampering can be executed without the system being able to detect this.