Characterization of a turbulent atmosphere simulator for qubits testbed

Area of Science:

• Quantum Information Science
• Optical Physics
• Atmospheric Optics

Background:

• Atmospheric turbulence significantly impacts free-space optical communication, including quantum information transfer.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for developing robust long-distance quantum communication systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and calibrate a laboratory testbed (TASQ) simulating atmospheric turbulence.
• To investigate the impact of turbulence on the quantum information content of free-space qubit transport.
• To provide data for field experiments in quantum networking.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a two-phase screen system to replicate weak to strong atmospheric turbulence.
• Characterized turbulence by measuring the D/r0 ratio (1.04–23.27) using point-spread function analysis.
• Quantified irradiance fluctuations and on-axis scintillation index (0.25–2.02).

Main Results:

• Successfully developed and calibrated a turbulence simulation testbed.
• Quantified the statistical parameters of simulated atmospheric turbulence.
• Measured turbulence-induced effects on optical propagation relevant to quantum information.

Conclusions:

• The TASQ testbed accurately simulates atmospheric turbulence effects on optical signals.
• The calibrated setup provides essential data for understanding turbulence impacts on qubit transport.
• This research is vital for advancing the development of long-distance quantum networks.