Clock Synchronization for Drone-Based Entanglement Quantum Key Distribution

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Huang, Jinquan, Tang, Bangying, Han, Hui, Yi, JianJi, Xu, Bo, Wu, Chunqing, Zhu, Xiangwei, Yu, Wanrong, Yu, Huicun, Li, Jiahao, Sun, Shihai, Liu, Bo
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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author Huang, Jinquan
Tang, Bangying
Han, Hui
Yi, JianJi
Xu, Bo
Wu, Chunqing
Zhu, Xiangwei
Yu, Wanrong
Yu, Huicun
Li, Jiahao
Sun, Shihai
Liu, Bo
author_facet Huang, Jinquan
Tang, Bangying
Han, Hui
Yi, JianJi
Xu, Bo
Wu, Chunqing
Zhu, Xiangwei
Yu, Wanrong
Yu, Huicun
Li, Jiahao
Sun, Shihai
Liu, Bo
contents Drone-based entanglement distribution provides full spatiotemporal coverage for quantum networks, enabling quantum key distribution (QKD) in dynamic environments. The security of QKD fundamentally depends on high-fidelity quantum state measurements, for which high-precision clock synchronization is indispensable, as timing jitter is inversely correlated with quantum state fidelity. However, drone-based clock synchronization is constrained by SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) limitations and dynamic mobility effects. Here, we propose a synchronization protocol for drone-based entanglement distribution, leveraging nanosecond-accurate Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) timing and entanglement-based timing correction to overcome SWaP constraints. Experimental results demonstrate 24 ps RMS synchronization in simulated free-space quantum channels with distance dynamics, without requiring precision reference clock. Our protocol enables drone-based entanglement distribution, paving the way for seamless wide-area and local-area quantum internet.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_07831
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Clock Synchronization for Drone-Based Entanglement Quantum Key Distribution
Huang, Jinquan
Tang, Bangying
Han, Hui
Yi, JianJi
Xu, Bo
Wu, Chunqing
Zhu, Xiangwei
Yu, Wanrong
Yu, Huicun
Li, Jiahao
Sun, Shihai
Liu, Bo
Quantum Physics
Drone-based entanglement distribution provides full spatiotemporal coverage for quantum networks, enabling quantum key distribution (QKD) in dynamic environments. The security of QKD fundamentally depends on high-fidelity quantum state measurements, for which high-precision clock synchronization is indispensable, as timing jitter is inversely correlated with quantum state fidelity. However, drone-based clock synchronization is constrained by SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) limitations and dynamic mobility effects. Here, we propose a synchronization protocol for drone-based entanglement distribution, leveraging nanosecond-accurate Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) timing and entanglement-based timing correction to overcome SWaP constraints. Experimental results demonstrate 24 ps RMS synchronization in simulated free-space quantum channels with distance dynamics, without requiring precision reference clock. Our protocol enables drone-based entanglement distribution, paving the way for seamless wide-area and local-area quantum internet.
title Clock Synchronization for Drone-Based Entanglement Quantum Key Distribution
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.07831