Integration of quantum key distribution and high-throughput classical communications in field-deployed multi-core fibers

Qi Wu; Domenico Ribezzo; Giammarco Di Sciullo; Sebastiano Cocchi; Divya Ann Shaji; Lucas Alves Zischler; Ruben Luis; Paolo Serena; Chiara Lasagni; Alberto Bononi; Tetsuya Hayashi; Alessandro Gagliano; Paolo Martelli; Alberto Gatto; Paola Parolari; Pierpaolo Boffi; Davide Bacco; Alessandro Zavatta; Yixiao Zhu; Weisheng Hu; Zhaopeng Xu; Mark Shtaif; Andrea Marotta; Fabio Graziosi; Antonio Mecozzi; Cristian Antonelli

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-01982-z

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Integration of quantum key distribution and high-throughput classical communications in field-deployed multi-core fibers

Original Articles

- Integration of quantum key distribution and high-throughput classical communications in field-deployed multi-core fibers
- Integration of quantum key distribution and high-throughput classical communications in field-deployed multi-core fibers
- Light: Science & Applications 2025年14卷第10期页码：2955-2970
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila 67100, Italy
  2.Photonics Research Institute, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
  3.Department of Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
  4.Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Firenze 50019, Italy
  5.Photonic System Laboratory, NICT, Koganei, Tokyo 184-0015, Japan
  6.Department of Engineering and Architecture, Universitá degli Studi di Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
  7.CNIT National Laboratory of Advanced Optical Fibers for Photonics, L'Aquila 67100, Italy
  8.Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8588, Japan
  9.Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano 20133, Italy
  10.National Institute of Optics (CNR-INO), Firenze 50125, Italy
  11.Pengcheng Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China
  12.Department of Physical Electronics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Author bio：
  
  Qi Wu (qi.wu@student.univaq.it)
  Cristian Antonelli (cristian.antonelli@univaq.it)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-01982-z
  中图分类号：
- 收稿：2025-04-04，
  
  修回：2025-07-15，
  
  录用：2025-07-23，
  
  网络出版：2025-08-13，
  
  纸质出版：2025-10-31
- Accepted：
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Qi Wu, Domenico Ribezzo, Giammarco Di Sciullo, 等. Integration of quantum key distribution and high-throughput classical communications in field-deployed multi-core fibers[J]. Light: Science & Applications, 2025,14(10):2955-2970.

Wu, Q. et al. Integration of quantum key distribution and high-throughput classical communications in field-deployed multi-core fibers. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2955-2970 (2025).
Qi Wu, Domenico Ribezzo, Giammarco Di Sciullo, 等. Integration of quantum key distribution and high-throughput classical communications in field-deployed multi-core fibers[J]. Light: Science & Applications, 2025,14(10):2955-2970. DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01982-z.

Wu, Q. et al. Integration of quantum key distribution and high-throughput classical communications in field-deployed multi-core fibers. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2955-2970 (2025). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01982-z.

摘要

Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a secure communication method for sharing symmetric cryptographic keys based on the principles of quantum physics. Its integration into the fiber-optic network infrastructure is important for ensuring privacy in optical communications. Multi-core fibers (MCFs)

the likely building blocks of future high-capacity optical networks

offer new opportunities for such integration. Here

we experimentally demonstrate

for the first time

the coexistence of discrete-variable QKD and high-throughput classical communication in the C-band over a field-deployed MCF with industry standard cladding diameter of 125 μm. Specifically

we demonstrate successful secure-key establishment in one core of a 25.2-km uncoupled-core MCF

while simultaneously loading the remaining three cores with full C-band counter-propagating classical traffic at an aggregate net rate of 110.8 Tb/s. By proposing and experimentally validating an improved analytical model for inter-core spontaneous Raman scattering noise

we find that this configuration is optimal for our deployed MCF link as it is immune to four-wave mixing

that becomes relevant when the quantum and classical signals are propagating in the same direction. Our findings make an important step forward in demonstrating the integration of QKD and classical transmission in uncoupled-core multi-core fibers for next-generation optical communication networks.

关键词

Keywords

references

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