Duke University

The Ohio State University

University of Illinois

University of Rochester

Potomac Research LLC

Daniel J Gauthier

Robert W Boyd

Paul G Kwiat

Andrew Pomerance

Jungsang Kim

Zhimin Shi

Laurie L Voci

Gregory P Lafyatis

Hugh G Robinson

Kathryn L Nicolich

Clinton Cahall

Nurul T Islam

Robert Jungquist

Daniel Canaday

Noeloikeau Charlot

A waveform capture device (WCD) is a flexible measurement system capable of recording complex digital signals on trillionth-of-a-second (ps) time scales. The WCD may be implemented via modular code on an off-the-shelf field-programmable gate-array (FPGA), and incorporates both time-to-digital converter (TDC) and digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) functionality. The device captures a waveform by taking snapshots of a signal as it propagates down an ultra-fast transmission line known as a carry chain (CC). It may be calibrated via a dynamic phase-shifting (DPS) method that requires substantially less data and resources than conventional techniques.

5-PS-resolution waveform-capture-device on a field-programmable gate-array with dynamic phase-shifting

Systems, devices, and methods for generating a unique fingerprint are described herein. For example, an example integrated circuit (IC) chip includes a physically unclonable function (PUF) and an auxiliary circuit. The PUF is a hybrid Boolean network. Additionally, the auxiliary circuit is configured to receive a transient response enable signal.

Systems and methods using hybrid Boolean networks as physically unclonable functions

An apparatus, method and system for resolving an n-number of photons from an optical source multiphoton event, the apparatus includes a cryostat includes a single-pixel superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) configured to receive an optical signal and therefrom produce a corresponding electrical signal, and a current bias source configured to supply a bias current to the SNSPD. The apparatus further includes a low-noise amplifier configured to produce a low-noise amplified electrical signal from the electrical signal, a signal processing circuit configured to receive the low-noise amplified electrical signal having a waveform rising edge of an n-number photon event to produce either a time-differentiated electrical signal by processing the waveform rising edge with a differentiating circuit to generate a differentiated peak corresponding to the n-number photon event, or a time-to-amplitude electrical signal by processing the waveform rising edge with a precision timing circuit to generate a rise time measurement corresponding to the n-number photon event. The apparatus further includes an amplitude discriminating device configured to determine an integer n-number photon event based on measuring a value of the n-number photon event.

Systems and methods for multiphoton detection using a conventional superconducting nanowire single photon detector

A system, and methods, for transmitting quantum states between a first node and a second node, or among more than two nodes. Each node is characterized by an instantaneous spatial position, and the instantaneous spatial position of the second node is repositionable within a frame of reference associated with the first node. A hovering drone is adapted either for running a quantum key transmission protocol in secure communication with the first node, and/or for running a quantum key reception protocol in secure communication with the second node. Either drone may serve as a relay of optical data between a base station and another drone. Secure communication among more than two nodes may be reconfigured.

Reconfigurable free-space quantum communication system

A system, and methods, for transmitting encrypted information as a quantum transmission between a first node and a second node, or among more than two nodes. Each node is characterized by an instantaneous spatial position, and the instantaneous spatial position of the second node is repositionable within a frame of reference associated with the first node. A hovering drone is adapted either for running a quantum key transmission protocol in secure communication with the first node, and/or for running a quantum key reception protocol in secure communication with the second node. Either drone may serve as a relay of optical data between a base station and another drone. Secure communication among more than two nodes may be reconfigured.

Reconfigurable free-space quantum cryptography system

According to the invention, a highly optically dispersive medium is one in which the absolute value of the group index of refraction of the medium is equal to or greater than four. An optical spectroscopic parameter detection and/or measurement apparatus may be in the form of an interferometer, a spectral interferometer, a spectrometer, a wavemeter, a tunable narrowband filter The embodied devices include a highly dispersive medium that appropriately can facilitate either a slow-light effect or a fast-light effect, which is disposed in a propagation path of an electro-magnetic (EM) input field and, a detector disposed in a manner to detect an output field resulting from the input filed interaction with the highly dispersive medium. Methods involve measuring a spectroscopic parameter using an optical spectroscopic parameter detection and/or measurement apparatus that incorporates a highly dispersive medium.

Apparatus and methods using highly optically dispersive media

An optical isolator is disclosed that is particularly useful in the visible, infrared, and near-infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The rotator portion of the isolator produces a highly uniform magnetic intensity across its clear aperture. The optical isolator comprises a Faraday rotator that defines an optical axis, a respective polarizer on each end of the Faraday rotator and positioned on the optical axis, and a housing containing the Faraday rotator and the polarizers. The Faraday rotator comprises an optical rotator rod that defines the optical axis and a magnet assembly surrounding the optical rotator rod. The magnet assembly comprises eight trapezoidal cross section magnet sections arranged in a first group of four and a second group of four. The magnet sections in each group are placed adjacent one another along their respective nonparallel sides to form an overall square cross section for each group with a square cross section aperture through each group that surrounds the optical rotator rod. The first and second groups are arranged linearly adjacent to one another along the optical axis of the optical rod. The first group has its magnetic field perpendicular to and directed axially away from, the optical axis, and the second group has its magnetic field perpendicular to and directed axially towards, the optical axis of the optical rod.

Compact enhanced performance optical isolator using a faraday rotator

A phase conjugate interferometer has a partially reflective conventional mirror placed in front of and in close proximity to a phase conjugate mirror using internally self pumped phase conjugation in barium titanate or other photorefractive material. The reflective surface may be the surface of the phase conjugate mirror. An optical system under test is illuminated with coherent light and the wavefront at the exit pupil thereof is imaged through a beam splitter onto the reflective surface (imaging being unnecessary if the distance between the exit pupil and the reflective surface is sufficiently small that negligible diffraction occurs over that distance). Part of the wavefront is reflected at the reflective surface of the partially reflecting conventional mirror. The transmitted portion of the wavefront is incident on the phase conjugate mirror where a wavefront reversed replica of the incident wave is produced and reflected. The two reflected waves (from the conventional and from the phase conjugate mirror travel back towards the exit pupil. The interference pattern which characterizes the incident wavefront is formed at the reflective surface of the conventional mirror. The interferometer is an essentially perfect common path interferometer for the following reason: the only path that is not common to the two waves is the round trip path between the conventional and phase conjugate mirrors, which has zero effective path due to the wavefront reversal properties of phase conjugate mirrors. The pattern is deflected by the beam splitter to an observation plane. The pattern is imaged, as by a relay lens, on the observation plane where the interference fringes of the pattern can be examined or recorded on photographic film or displayed with a television camera. That portion of the optical path between the reflective surface and the phase conjugate mirror (which provides the reference arm) of the interferometer is not subject to environmental effects (turbulence, thermally induced pathlength changes, etc.) and the path through which the reflected object beam travels to the location where the interference pattern with the reference beam is formed is extremely small and not affected by environmental effects. Accordingly, the interferometer is robust and can be made extremely compact.

Growing community of inventors

Columbus, OH, United States of America

Daniel J Gauthier