A software for simulating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) experiments that could be used to validate such experiments before spending resources on the actual setup, has been granted a patent recently, marking one the first of India’s patents on quantum technology.
The experimentally friendly tool for which Raman Research Institute (RRI) has been awarded an Indian patent in the field of Quantum Technologies, can be used to design optimal design parameters when planning for such experiments.
The patent was granted for ‘Method and system for generating cryptographic keys’ to the team led by Professor Urbasi Sinha for their work on secure Quantum communication. The merit of the work lay in the versatility of the software for simulating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) experiments.
“Our invention, qkdSim, provides a tool to design QKD, which circumvents the huge experimental trial-and-error approach. It overcomes the problem by applying the software development model Agifall, whose three-layered architecture conveniently abstracts simulation of real physical processes. qkdSim comprises distinct modules that model different physical processes and components and combine to simulate full end to end QKD. This simulation enables design and testing implementations for validation and optimisation,” said Professor Sinha.
Last year, India launched the National Quantum Mission which is being co-ordinated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and RRI, an autonomous institution of DST has been actively involved in this major technological challenge. With the increase in sensitive and personal data becoming digital and made available online, there is an inevitable need for securing and shielding it with leak-proof encryption.
QKD is a globally relevant technology that is currently being pursued towards providing a new paradigm for data security that is based on laws of nature, in this case, laws of quantum mechanics.
“This is especially crucial to ensure that we shift away from other forms of cryptography that use mathematical hardness of problems as their bases, which can be broken. Our invention will help both in optimal design and validation of available QKD products for their realistic performance expectations. This in turn will help us evolve high end data security that would benefit several sectors including banking transaction, defence services, health sector and many more,” said Sinha.
