Dynamic QKD-Secured Optical Network with Co-existence of Quantum and Classical Channels

Excited to share our latest work on ALLEGRO, where we successfully implemented a quantum-secured optical network supporting dynamic co-switching and coexistence of quantum and classical channels over deployed fiber infrastructure.

By integrating FPGA-based hardware encryption, QKD management, and dynamic optical/quantum switching, we enabled secure and adaptable communication across three remote nodes.

Key Highlights:

  • Demonstrated stable coexistence of Discrete-Variable QKD (DV-QKD) and encrypted classical data.
  • Evaluated multiple switching scenarios to assess QKD performance under varying power levels and traffic conditions.
  • Managed quantum and classical co-existence even at challenging power levels (as low as -14.6 dBm), pushing the boundaries of secure optical networking.

🔬 Our experimental setup (Figure 26) and scenarios (Figure 27 a–d) revealed how smart switching strategies enable robust quantum communications even in power-constrained environments—without compromising classical data integrity.

This is a significant step towards scalable, secure, and hybrid quantum-classical communication networks. 💡

#QuantumNetworking #QKD #Cybersecurity #Photonics #FPGA #QuantumTech #OpticalNetworks #Research #ALLEGROProject #Innovation