Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘The Next RenAIssance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential’
The Chemical Connection: When the Industry Moves Faster Than the Standards
Driving Innovation: Selecting the Right Laser Source
IEEE Study Demonstrates an Innovative Deployment Ready Quantum Entanglement Source
January 14, 2026 | PRNewswireEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Quantum entanglement links two particles, such as photons, so that measuring one instantly reveals information about the other. Reliable generation and distribution of entangled states are essential for quantum technologies like quantum key distribution (QKD)—a secure communication protocol using quantum randomness for encryption.
Most QKD systems use polarization-based entanglement, but this approach is unstable over long fibers due to birefringence. Time-bin entanglement, which encodes information in photons' arrival times, offers a more stable alternative, though it has traditionally required complex, custom setups.
Now, a new study published in the IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics on February 6, 2025, has successfully demonstrated the generation and long-distance distribution of high quality entanglement in a metropolitan network, using off-the-shelf components. "We implemented a robust sequential time-bin entangled source for quantum key distribution across Vienna's existing fiber network," explains Martin Achleitner from Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT). The research team also included Dr. Alessandro Trenti and Dr. Hannes Hübel from AIT, and Dr. Philip Walther from University of Vienna, Austria.
To generate time-bin entangled photons, the team utilized modulated laser pulses in the GHz range, which were converted into a visible pump beam. This pump beam was injected into a special spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) crystal to generate the time-bin entangled photon pairs. To assess entanglement quality, the researchers used a commercially available Mach-Zehnder delay line interferometer (MZI) and a 50/50 beamsplitter setup.
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a commercial MZI delay line has been used for a quantum application," notes Dr. Trenti. The setup demonstrated strong entanglement and excellent visibility of about 93%, well above the requirement for secure key generation.
"Using such an entanglement source on photonic crystals will significantly improve scalability of quantum networks," adds Dr. Hübel.
Share on:
Subscribe
Stay ahead of the technologies shaping the future of electronics with our latest newsletter, Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest. Get expert insights on advanced packaging, materials, and system-level innovation, delivered straight to your inbox.Subscribe now to stay informed, competitive, and connected.
Suggested Items
Sygaldry Raises $139M to Build Quantum Computers for AI
04/22/2026 | SygaldrySygaldry Technologies, Inc. announced that it has raised $139M in Series A and Seed financing to build quantum-accelerated AI servers.
IBM, UIUC Expand Discovery Accelerator for AI and Quantum Computing
04/20/2026 | PRNewswireIBM and the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.) announced an expansion of the IBM-Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute.
DARPA Launches HARQ Program to Integrate Diverse Qubits for Scalable Quantum Computing
04/20/2026 | DARPADARPA has launched the Heterogeneous Architectures for Quantum (HARQ) program, an effort aimed at overcoming one of the most persistent barriers in quantum computing: how to move beyond single-technology systems to achieve and scale practical, high-impact applications.
From AI to AEP, an Impressive Array of Keynotes at APEX EXPO 2026
04/17/2026 | Marcy LaRont and Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Each year at APEX EXPO, the Global Electronics Association provides an impressive lineup of keynote speakers to kick off the largest electronics manufacturing event in North America. This year included four keynote speeches, on topics ranging from the promise and peril of AI to the power of electronics, quantum computing, and the importance of heterogeneous integration in advanced electronics packaging.
IBM's David Lokken-Toyli: Quantum’s Call to ‘Leap’
04/10/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007What happens when a cutting-edge quantum computer is placed in the middle of a public cafeteria? For David Lokken-Toyli, principal research scientist at IBM Quantum, that image, now a reality at Cleveland Clinic, captures a turning point: Quantum computing is moving out of the lab and into the real world, and getting there will depend not just on physicists, but on an electronics supply chain ready to support entirely new system requirements.