Licensing Opportunity: All-Fiber Automatic Polarization Compensation Using Ultra Sensitive Detection of Coexisting DIM Reference Signals

Invention Reference Number: 202405654 Polarization drift in quantum networks is a major issue. Fiber transforms a transmitted signal’s polarization differently depending on its environment. This technology strengthens quantum networking by providing automatic polarization compensation using ultra-sensitive detection of coexisting dim reference signals. It achieves fast and complete control of the polarization of light while ensuring 100% uptime by using very weak reference signals.

This new system for measuring and compensating polarization changes features a multi-axis control mechanism designed for low-loss, high-speed operation and simplicity. Combining ultra-sensitive detection with fast, low-loss polarization control avoids noise issues from reference signals, ensuring it can operate continuously without downtime. Description This technology is a new method for measuring and compensating polarization changes in quantum fiber networks.

It benefits from combining ultra-sensitive detection with fast, low-loss polarization control, avoiding noise issues from reference signals. This ensures the system can operate continuously without downtime. This new method balances the demands of 100% up-time, high-bandwidth detection and correction, low-insertion loss, and negligible added noise. Laser reference signals can be used while still maintaining the benefits of dim reference signals detected by single-photon detectors. This helps enable 100% uptime.

This system can control polarization of light through fiber at a high bandwidth, and for single-photon quantum signals without injecting significant noise.

Benefits Fast continuous control Controls polarization automatically Low noise Precise control with high bandwidth No downtime Could be used for classical communications, too, not only for quantum communications Applications and Industries Quantum technologies Fiber internet Contact To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.