US 11,962,354 B2
Hybrid space-fiber quantum networks for widespread entanglement distribution
Mihir Keshav Bhaskar, Cambridge, MA (US); Antia Lamas Linares, Austin, TX (US); David Sarkis Levonian, Cambridge, MA (US); Bartholomeus Johannes Machielse, Somerville, MA (US); and Oskar Jon Painter, Sierra Madre, CA (US)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Apr. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/309,247.
Application 18/309,247 is a continuation of application No. 17/548,254, filed on Dec. 10, 2021, granted, now 11,641,242.
Prior Publication US 2023/0327780 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04B 10/00 (2013.01); G06N 10/40 (2022.01); H04B 10/70 (2013.01); H04J 14/00 (2006.01)
CPC H04B 10/70 (2013.01) [G06N 10/40 (2022.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a photon source configured to distribute photons in superposition states through a free-space or atmospheric communication channel;
an optical ground station configured to receive one or more of the photons from the photon source;
a communications hub, proximate to the optical ground station, configured to connect to a plurality of fiber optic links;
one or more quantum memory devices proximate to the optical ground station configured to send heralding signals upon reception of one or more of the photons; and
one or more computing devices configured to:
receive heralding signals from the one or more quantum memory devices indicating that two photons have been received at the one or more quantum memory devices via the photon source and via a given one of the plurality of fiber optic links connected to the communications hub, respectively; and
extend quantum entanglement from the free-space or atmospheric communication channel to the given one of the plurality of fiber optic links.