SeQuCom · Secure Quantum Communication and Computation
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2017-02-06 → 2019-02-05
- EU contribution
- €183,455
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Secure Quantum Communication and Computation
The general aim of this research project was to combine elements from quantum cryptography and quantum computing, in order to build the necessary components for future quantum networks. This was done by examining different types of nodes in the networks, from classical or small-scale quantum clients, to powerful quantum servers that will be entrusted with demanding computations. The project examined security of communications and computations in this new setup, via the observation of nonlocal effects present when using quantum information. It specifically examined whether quantum mechanics can provide a higher level of security for telecommunication networks and what are the necessary restrictions that need to be imposed on the quantum adversaries in order to have a security advantage. It also tried to bring closer the theoretical and experimental approaches on quantum computing, by designing and analysing practical protocols that can be used as building blocks for future quantum communication networks. The examination of quantum networks is very timely and important, since there is a huge investment at this point from the EU as well as from different national organisations. This means that the hardware to implement quantum protocols will be a reality soon, and security of communication will be an imperative. This project has contributed to bringing quantum networks closer to reality, and provided solutions as well as many open problems to be addressed in consecutive works.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Quantum Theory is one of the greatest scientific revolutions of the twentieth century. During the last decades, it has become apparent that the tools provided by quantum mechanics can be used in many fields, such as cryptography, algorithms, game theory, and even biology. This is because quantum systems exhibit an intrinsic randomness that can be exploited in order to significantly boost computational performance, increase security of communications and in general achieve tasks that are impossible with purely classical means. On the other hand, the use of quantum technologies in future telecommunication networks, raises important questions on the security of the currently deployed protocols since quantum adversaries will be able to use quantum effects to break widely-deployed cryptosystems (e.g. RSA).The scientific aim of the proposed research project is to build the essential components for secure quantum communication and computing in realistic environments. It stands at the interface between quantum theory and experiments, focusing on the effect of the experimental environment on the implementation and security of different quantum computational models and protocols. It is expected to pave the way for large-scale quantum cloud computing, so that users can store and process their data on a network using powerful quantum servers, therefore providing a more effective way for computing and communication. The proposed project is highly innovative and interdisciplinary, and it will play an essential role in my career development, since it will allow me to work closely with researchers from different fields and acquire both key scientific and complementary skills.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON · LondonCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union