Quantum Communications Feasibility Tests over a UK-Ireland 224 km Undersea Link

Abstract

The future quantum internet will leverage existing communication infrastructures, including deployed optical fibre networks, to enable novel applications that outperform current information technology. In this scenario, we perform a feasibility study of quantum communications over an industrial 224 km submarine optical fibre link deployed between Southport in the United Kingdom (UK) and Portrane in the Republic of Ireland (IE). With a characterisation of phase drift, polarisation stability and the arrival time of entangled photons, we demonstrate the suitability of the link to enable international UK–IE quantum communications for the first time.

Keywords

• quantum key distribution
• QKD feasibility study
• submarine fibre channel
• optical phase drift
• polarisation stability
• quantum bit error rate