Use of Long-Term Entangled States for Low Power Space Communications
- Paper number
IAC-06-C2.8.09
- Author
Mr. Roger X. Lenard, Sandia National Laboratories, United States
- Year
2006
- Abstract
Correlations between spatially separated components of an entangled system are suggestive of the possibility of a quantum based means of communication. The purpose of this paper is to investigate that possibility using entangled neutral atoms. In particular, the author wishes to consider the use of externally impressed adiabatic perturbations via magnetic fields of bound electrons in neutral atoms as a means of information transfer. Neutral atoms are particularly well suited for this purpose because to the author’s mind, any entangled system used for communications purposes must exhibit the following characteristics: long term, persistent entanglement, the ability to manipulate each member of the system without destroying entanglement, and the ability to modulate one member of an entangled pair and extract such modulation in a non-random way on the distant member of the pair without destroying the entanglement. The author expands upon work performed for a Phase I NIAC effort and subsequently expanded by Maclay and Aharanov. The framework is that for distant space missions, the power aperture product implies that scant information can be transferred unless extremely long transfer times are available. Indeed, for extremely long range communications, for example a mission the solar gravity lens point where the distance is greater than 550 AU, or for missions where communications from another stellar system is required, the power required can be 100 of kWs to MWs. If we are to enter the interstellar mission arena, some mechanism to reduce power requirements without diminishing signal throughput must be found. Consequently, the author proposes to employ entangled states to reduce power requirements. The author will describe current theory in the area and will also propose an experiment that may be able to reveal the feasibility of such communications.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-C2.8.09.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.