Multiprobe time reversal for high-fidelity vortex-mode-division multiplexing over a turbulent free-space link

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a digital time-reversal technique to significantly reduce modal crosstalk in vortex-mode-division multiplexing over a turbulent free-space link, enhancing quantum communication reliability.

Contribution

The study introduces a real-time digital time-reversal method for mitigating atmospheric turbulence effects in free-space optical MDM systems, improving mode fidelity and reducing error rates.

Findings

Average modal crosstalk reduced to 13.2% with real-time time reversal

Crosstalk decreased to 3.4% with increased mode spacing

Bit error rate lowered from 3.6×10⁻³ to below 1.3×10⁻⁷

Abstract

The orbital angular momentum (OAM) of photons presents a degree of freedom for enhancing the secure key rate of free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) through mode-division multiplexing (MDM). However, atmospheric turbulence can lead to substantial modal crosstalk, which is a long-standing challenge to MDM for free-space QKD. Here, we show that the digital generation of time-reversed wavefronts for multiple probe beams is an effective method for mitigating atmospheric turbulence. We experimentally characterize seven OAM modes after propagation through a 340-m outdoor free-space link and observe an average modal crosstalk as low as 13.2% by implementing real-time time reversal. The crosstalk can be further reduced to 3.4% when adopting a mode spacing $\Delta \ell$ of 2. We implement a classical MDM system as a proof-of-principle demonstration, and the bit error rate is reduced from $3.6\times 10^{-3}$ to be less than $1.3\times 10^{-7}$ through the use of time reversal. We also propose a practical and scalable scheme for high-speed, mode-multiplexed QKD through a turbulent link. The modal crosstalk can be further reduced by using faster equipment. Our method can be useful to various free-space applications that require crosstalk suppression.