Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: High-precision clock synchronization is essential for a wide range of network-distributed applications. In the quantum space, these applications include communication, sensing, and positioning. However, current synchronization techniques are vulnerable to attacks, such as intercept-resend attacks, spoofing, and delay attacks. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a new quantum secure time transfer (QSTT) system, subsequently used for clock synchronization, that largely negates such attacks. Novel to our system is the optimal use of self-generated quantum keys within the QSTT to information-theoretically secure the maximum amount of timing data; as well as the introduction, within a hybrid quantum/post-quantum architecture, of an information-theoretic secure obfuscated encryption sequence of the remaining timing data. With these enhancements, we argue that our new system represents the most robust implementation of QSTT to date.
Authors: Ravi Singh Adhikari, Aman Gupta, Anju Rani, Xiaoyu Ai, Robert Malaney
Institution: UNSW Sydney
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4416359166