Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a compact device capable of generating two strongly correlated radio-frequency signals at room temperature. The technology could be used for secure wireless communication, interference-resistant data transmission, high-precision radar, and quantum sensing systems.
Until now, such correlated microwave signals have generally been generated using superconducting circuits operating at extremely low temperatures. This requires bulky, expensive, and energy-intensive cryogenic equipment, which limits the practical application of the technology.
Instead of superconductors, MIT researchers used a magnetic film placed inside a metallic microwave resonator. When microwave energy is applied, the magnetic system interacts with the resonator’s electromagnetic field and converts the incoming signal into two correlated signals with different frequencies.
The device is based on magnons — quanta of excitations in a magnetic system. Normally, when exposed to a microwave signal, two correlated magnons with the same frequency are generated, making them difficult to separate and use independently.
The researchers created a hybrid system of magnons and microwave photons in which the two correlated signals have different frequencies. Although each signal appears random when considered separately, the relationship between their phases is preserved. This makes it possible to use one signal to transmit information and the second as a key for recovering that information.
The researchers demonstrated the operating principle by encoding a small image in the frequency of one microwave signal. The receiver was able to reconstruct the image only by using the second correlated signal.
Such a scheme could improve the security of wireless communication because intercepting only one of the signals would not be sufficient to recover the transmitted information without the second signal.
The technology could also be used for data transmission in environments with strong interference, where the receiver could distinguish useful information from random signals interfering with the transmission.
Correlated microwave signals are also important for quantum simulators — systems designed to model the complex behavior and interactions of subatomic particles that are difficult to reproduce using conventional computers.
Operation at room temperature could potentially make such systems more compact, less expensive, and more scalable.
As a next step, the researchers plan to develop a scalable architecture for the device and investigate other applications of the technology. Potential areas include secure communications, quantum radar, high-precision measurement, and correlation-based signal processing.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a compact device capable of generating two strongly correlated radio-frequency signals at room temperature. The technology could be used for secure wireless communication, interference-resistant data transmission, high-precision radar, and quantum sensing systems.
Until now, such correlated microwave signals have generally been generated using superconducting circuits operating at extremely low temperatures. This requires bulky, expensive, and energy-intensive cryogenic equipment, which limits the practical application of the technology.
Instead of superconductors, MIT researchers used a magnetic film placed inside a metallic microwave resonator. When microwave energy is applied, the magnetic system interacts with the resonator’s electromagnetic field and converts the incoming signal into two correlated signals with different frequencies.
The device is based on magnons — quanta of excitations in a magnetic system. Normally, when exposed to a microwave signal, two correlated magnons with the same frequency are generated, making them difficult to separate and use independently.
The researchers created a hybrid system of magnons and microwave photons in which the two correlated signals have different frequencies. Although each signal appears random when considered separately, the relationship between their phases is preserved. This makes it possible to use one signal to transmit information and the second as a key for recovering that information.
The researchers demonstrated the operating principle by encoding a small image in the frequency of one microwave signal. The receiver was able to reconstruct the image only by using the second correlated signal.
Such a scheme could improve the security of wireless communication because intercepting only one of the signals would not be sufficient to recover the transmitted information without the second signal.
The technology could also be used for data transmission in environments with strong interference, where the receiver could distinguish useful information from random signals interfering with the transmission.
Correlated microwave signals are also important for quantum simulators — systems designed to model the complex behavior and interactions of subatomic particles that are difficult to reproduce using conventional computers.
Operation at room temperature could potentially make such systems more compact, less expensive, and more scalable.
As a next step, the researchers plan to develop a scalable architecture for the device and investigate other applications of the technology. Potential areas include secure communications, quantum radar, high-precision measurement, and correlation-based signal processing.