PostDoc in the field of Quantum Cryptography Test-bed

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The Department of Electrical Engineering of the Eindhoven University of Technology has an open post-doctoral position in the field of Quantum Cryptography Test-bed under the framework of the CAT-2 programme on Quantum Network Testbed - https://quantumdelta.nl/accelerate-in-detail/.

The position is embedded within the new Center for Quantum Materials and Technology (QT/e) under supervision of PI prof.dr.ir Idelfonso Tafur Monroy.

Goal and Background - TU/e QKD testbed and development of evaluation site
At the TU/e campus, we are developing a world-class testbed to enable the integration of classical, and in particular coherent optical transmission with Quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. QKD offers the means to increase the security of next-generation optical communication systems or even ensure unconditionally security in combination with one-time pad encryption. The interest in QKD has risen in recent years, primarily due to the rapid progress in computation hardware, lower cost of data storage, and maturity of quantum computing technologies. The most mature QKD systems are based on single-photon detection schemes; however, continuous variable (CV) QKD has recently received a lot of interest for several reasons [1,2,3]. It may be implemented with off-the-shelf hardware from coherent communication technology, promising low cost and integrability to classical, and optical coherent transmission networks. Quantum Delta [4] funds this particular project on developing Quantum Testbed under the CAT-2 programme on Quantum Network Testbed - https://quantumdelta.nl/accelerate-in-detail/

This novel testbed will address several critical applications with stringent key performance indicators (KPIs) and requiring high cybersecurity, e.g., robot-to-robot communication, fronthaul to a robot, robot-to-drone, broadcasting, city security, 3D-communications, 5G automated vehicle driving, to name but a few. As such the candidate will draw from current and ongoing EU and National Projects from several groups at TU/e on 5G, Quantum secured 5G networks BRAINE and Quantum secure authentication project - NWO SMOKE and others. All activities are cross-collaborating in setting up the Quantum cybersecurity test-bed environment.

Research Challenges in the Quantum cybersecurity Testbed Project
The Eindhoven Quantum Testbed will be rolled out across the TU/e campus using locally deployed optical fibres; besides, the testbed is expected to expand into a regional network interconnecting local nodes. Operating QKD alongside classical optical signals presents several challenges such as handling the impact of impairments such as loss, noise and scattering from classical optical channels. Furthermore, the project aims at developing and contributing with standards and procedure for validation and certification of quantum cybersecurity systems and end-to-end links.

Role
The candidate will be responsible for setting up, establishing and make operational the testbed, under development, for QKD at TU/e campus. The candidate is expected to support the CAT-2 project research activities on new and efficient quantum key distribution protocols, multiplexing techniques to enable the coexistence of classical optical and quantum channels, towards deploying such systems in a field-trial link. Another aspect the candidate is expected to contribute is translation of current systems in concepts for further miniaturization for systems-on-chip.

Work environment
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is one of Europe's top technological universities, in the heart of one of Europe's largest high-tech innovation ecosystems - the Eindhoven Brainport region. Research at TU/e is characterized by a combination of academic excellence and a strong real-world impact through close collaboration with high-tech industries.

The candidate will be employed at the Terahertz Systems -ECO group - of the Department of Electrical Engineering. This position is also embedded within the new Center for Quantum Materials and Technology (QT/e) at TU/e which consists of principal investigators from Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering and Mathematics & Computer science departments- https://research.tue.nl/nl/organisations/center-for-quantum-materials-and-technology-eindhoven-qte. The Terahertz System group is also part of the Institute for Photonics Integration.

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