Zeiss Award Recognises Advancements in Quantum Cryptography

摘要

Professor Jian-Wei Pan,based at the University of Science and Technology of China,Hefei,was announced as winner of the Zeiss Research Award 2020.One of the world's leading researchers in the field of quantum technology,Jian-Wei Pan is noted for his remarkable work regarding the distribution of entangled photons over a distance of 1,200 km,by far the longest distance ever reached.He achieved this by using a light source installed on a satellite that emits entangled photons.Entangled photons can be used in conjunction with quantum cryptography to enable two parties to exchange a secret key.According to the laws of quantum mechanics,key exchange security is based on this: every attempt made by an eavesdropper to read the exchanged photons disrupts their quantum state and can be discovered by the communicating parties.If a secret key is exchanged,it can be used for example,to encrypt an email or secure a bank transfer.