The quantum communication project, which includes the participation of professor José Ferraz de Moura Nunes Filho from the Postgraduate Program in Applied Physics (PPGFA), from the Department of Physics at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), received funding from R $2,995,960.00 through a notice from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). Under the coordination of Professor Daniel Felinto, from the Department of Physics at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), the initiative aims to develop equipment and protocols that will serve as the basis for a future national quantum communication strategy. The CNPq notice is aimed at Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) projects that contribute to scientific, technological and innovation advancement in the country. Only three projects were included across the country, totaling almost R$9 million, coming from the Ministry of Science, T echnology and Innovation (MCTI). The main objective of the project is to develop Brazilian frontier technology for quantum distribution of cryptographic keys in the telecommunications band between two or more sites, using both attenuated lasers and entangled photon pairs. From a local point of view, the objective is to set up the first national metropolitan quantum telecommunications network in Recife. This network will have support from the National Teaching and Research Network (RNP) and will connect three points: the Department of Physics and the Department of Electronics and Systems at UFPE and the Department of Physics at UFRPE. To achieve this, three identical sites will be built, one in each laboratory participating in the project, capable of generating and characterizing within the laboratory itself and transmitting and receiving quantum states between each other. The project seeks to provide concrete elements in terms of equipment and protocols to define a national quantum communication strategy, so that secure communication channels can be established between sensitive points of the national infrastructure (government, defense, energy, financial, etc.). It will also be a form of qualified personnel in the area of quantum communications, capable of developing and operating the quantum networks necessary for the security of the country's telecommunications infrastructure.
More information
Prof. José Ferraz
jferraz@ufrpe.br