Adaptive optics for quantum communication
Securing exchanges of information on a global scale represents a major challenge in our society today. The emerging field of quantum communication relies on the fundamental laws of physics to offer unconditional security. In this respect, encoding information on spatial properties of photons has recently demonstrated a strong potential for increasing security level and data rates of quantum communications. However, disturbances in the distribution of quantum states in free-space (i.e. atmospheric turbulence) are critical challenges that must be overcome to advance beyond laboratory proof-of-principle demonstrations and implement long-distance communications. The goal of this work is to enhance information capacity and enlarge distances of free-space quantum communications by monitoring optical disturbances using adaptive optics. This ambitious goal will be achieved by combining the powerful techniques of the emerging field of quantum light shaping, with the speed of adaptive optics systems and the extreme sensitivity and high temporal resolution of quantum imaging sensors. Specifically, the proposal is based on our novel insight that wavefront correction performed in the classical domain (i.e. using an intense classical light beam) can be transferred to the quantum domain to prevent degradation of quantum states that carry the information.