Research Collaboration at Ispra Connects Atomic Clock to Quantum Infrastructure
Hey there! Let's dive into some mind-blowing tech news! Today, the INRiM, CERN, ESA, industry, government, and the European Commission united to upgrade the JRC Ispra site with two super cool connections.
First off, they're adopting White Rabbit, a Time-Transfer Protocol (TTP) developed at CERN that makes your regular time synchronization look like a snail's pace on steroids. It can achieve sub-nanosecond synchronization – yep, that's even smaller than the blink of an eye!
The second connection? The JRC is now part of the Italian Quantum Backbone. When you're sending quantum signals with an average power of around just one photon per pulse, you're talking about something seriously powerful – and it's perfect for the distribution of cryptographic keys by quantum protocols that let you know if someone's sneaking around your communications like a peeping Tom.
So, why's this a big deal?
INRiM is going to beam a time signal to the JRC with nanosecond precision, thanks to its fancy-schmancy caesium-fountain atomic clock. In case you're wondering, this baby is the primary standard for defining the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is, you guessed it, the official time worldwide.
When it comes to precise timing, navigation, and synchronization, you need a good reference. And access to a time signal straight from the UTC clock gives you the cream of the crop for carrying out experimental work at the JRC, especially for activities related to Galileo, Europe's global satellite navigation system.
With this upgrade, the JRC becomes the first European Commission site to join the EuroQCI, a piece of European infrastructure designed to ensure communication security in the days of quantum computing. If you didn't know, those souped-up computers might render our existing cryptography defunct. So, it's essential to have quantum-secured communication channels.
In practical terms, this new setup is key for the JRC to perform state-of-the-art research in various domains, including communications, positioning, navigation, timing, security, quantum sensors, and more. Notably, both precise timing and quantum security are crucial components of the planned IRISconstellation, a fleet of multi-orbit telecom satellites EU is developing for secure communication across the globe.
Related links
- INRiM (National Institute for Meteorological Research in Torino)
- The White Rabbit Project
- The European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) Initiative
- Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS)
This upgrade makes the JRC Ispra site a significant hub for technology, as it now utilizes the White Rabbit Time-Transfer Protocol, achieving sub-nanosecond synchronization, and is part of the Italian Quantum Backbone for secure quantum communication. This development positions the JRC as a key player in the future of science, technology, and digital security, aligning with the planned IRIS constellation and the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI).
