Licensing Opportunity: All-Fiber Automatic Polarization Compensation Using Ultra Sensitive Detection of Coexisting DIM Reference Signals

Invention Reference Number: 202405654

Polarization drift in quantum networks is a major issue. Fiber transforms a transmitted signal’s polarization differently depending on its environment. This technology strengthens quantum networking by providing automatic polarization compensation using ultra-sensitive detection of coexisting dim reference signals. It achieves fast and complete control of the polarization of light while ensuring 100% uptime by using very weak reference signals. This new system for measuring and compensating polarization changes features a multi-axis control mechanism designed for low-loss, high-speed operation and simplicity. Combining ultra-sensitive detection with fast, low-loss polarization control avoids noise issues from reference signals, ensuring it can operate continuously without downtime.

Description

This technology is a new method for measuring and compensating polarization changes in quantum fiber networks. It benefits from combining ultra-sensitive detection with fast, low-loss polarization control, avoiding noise issues from reference signals. This ensures the system can operate continuously without downtime. This new method balances the demands of 100% up-time, high-bandwidth detection and correction, low-insertion loss, and negligible added noise. Laser reference signals can be used while still maintaining the benefits of dim reference signals detected by single-photon detectors. This helps enable 100% uptime. This system can control polarization of light through fiber at a high bandwidth, and for single-photon quantum signals without injecting significant noise.

Benefits

• Fast continuous control


• Controls polarization automatically


• Low noise


• Precise control with high bandwidth


• No downtime


• Could be used for classical communications, too, not only for quantum communications

Applications and Industries

• Quantum technologies


• Fiber internet

Contact

To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.