Synchronizing clocks via satellites using entangled photons: Effect of relative velocity on precision

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2023

Abstract

A satellite-based scheme to perform clock synchronization between ground stations spread across the globe using quantum resources was proposed in [Phys. Rev. A 107, 022615 (2023)2469-992610.1103/PhysRevA.107.022615.] based on a quantum clock synchronization (QCS) protocol. Such a scheme could achieve synchronization up to the picosecond level over distances of thousands of kilometers. Nonetheless, the implementation of this QCS protocol has yet to be demonstrated experimentally in situations where the satellite velocities cannot be neglected, as is the case in many realistic scenarios. In this work, we develop analytical and numerical tools to study the effect of the relative velocity between the satellite and ground stations on the success of the QCS protocol. We conclude that the protocol can still run successfully if the data-acquisition window is chosen appropriately. As a demonstration, we simulate the synchronization outcomes for cities across the continental United States using a single satellite in a low earth orbit, low-cost entanglement sources, portable atomic clocks, and avalanche detectors. We conclude that, after including the effect of relative motion, subnanosecond- to picosecond-level precision can still be achieved over distance scales of ≈4000 km. Such high-precision synchronization is currently not achievable over long distances (100km) with standard classical techniques including the GPS. The simulation tools developed in this work are in principle applicable to other means of synchronizing clocks using entangled photons, which are expected to form the basis of future quantum networks like the quantum internet, distributed quantum sensing, and the quantum GPS.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Physical Review A

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS