Selection of papers
You can access the full list of publications here
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Free-space quantum key distribution by rotation-invariant twisted photons
“Twisted photons” are photons carrying a well-defined nonzero value of orbital angular momentum (OAM). The associated optical wave exhibits a helical shape of the wavefront (hence the name) and an optical vortex at the beam axis. The OAM of light is attracting a growing interest for its potential in photonic applications ranging from particle manipulation,…
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Experimental Satellite Quantum Communications
Quantum communication (QC), namely, the faithful transmission of generic quantum states, is a key ingredient of quantum information science. Here we demonstrate QC with polarization encoding from space to ground by exploiting satellite corner cube retroreflectors as quantum transmitters in orbit and the Matera Laser Ranging Observatory of the Italian Space Agency in Matera, Italy,…
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Random bits, true and unbiased, from atmospheric turbulence
Random numbers represent a fundamental ingredient for secure communications and numerical simulation as well as to games and in general to Information Science. Physical processes with intrinsic unpredictability may be exploited to generate genuine random numbers. The optical propagation in strong atmospheric turbulence is here taken to this purpose, by observing a laser beam after…
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Experimental Quantum Key Distribution with finite-key security analysis for noisy channels
Exchanging unconditionally secure cryptographic keys by means of a free-space quantum channel is possible even under realistic conditions, that is, in the presence of environmental noise and with the transmission of a limited number of photons, as for Satellite Quantum Communications. In their work, just published on Nature Communications, Davide Bacco, Matteo Canale, Nicola Laurenti,…
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Optimization of Two-Photon Wavefunction in Parametric Down Conversion by Adaptive Optics Control of the Pump Radiation
We present an efficient method to control the spatial modes of entangled photons produced through SPDC process. Bi-photon beam propagation is controlled by a deformable mirror that shapes a 404nm CW diode laser pump interacting with a nonlinear BBO type-I crystal. Thanks to adaptive optical system, the propagation of 808nm SPDC light produced is optimized…
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Impact of Turbulence in Long Range Quantum and Classical Communications
The purpose of the work was to investigate the propagation of single photon beams over the inter-island link, and in particular between a transmitter on the roof of the Jacob Kapteyn Telescope at ORM, La Palma, and the ESA-Optical Ground Station at Izana, Tenerife as receiver. Indeed, the study of the free-space propagation of quantum…