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QUANTUM CRYPTOGRAPHY

Where we are with quantum

Nature Physics volume 18, pages 611–612 (2022)Cite this article

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A theoretical analysis shows how a person’s location in space could be verified by the transmission of single photons. A vital application of quantum networks may be within reach.

Communication security protocols rely on credentials that only an honest party possesses. In modern protocols, these credentials could be passphrases or biological distinguishers. Position verification is the problem of using one’s location as a token of their identity. Even when communicating electronically and at a distance, we want to be able to check where another person is located. Writing in Nature Physics, Andreas Bluhm and colleagues1 have proved promising results on the use of quantum technology for position verification.

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Fig. 1: Position verification using time of response.

References

  1. Bluhm, A., Christandl, M. & Speelman, F. Nat. Phys. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01577-0 (2022).

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  2. Beigi, S. & König, R. New J. Phys. 13, 093036 (2011).

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  3. Wehner, S., Elkouss, D. & Hanson, R. Science 362, eaam9288 (2018).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS), University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Yusuf Alnawakhtha & Carl A. Miller

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  1. Yusuf Alnawakhtha
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  2. Carl A. Miller
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Correspondence to Yusuf Alnawakhtha or Carl A. Miller.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Alnawakhtha, Y., Miller, C.A. Where we are with quantum. Nat. Phys. 18, 611–612 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01597-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01597-w

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