A 1.25-GHz multi-amplitude modulator driver in 0.18 μm SiGe BiCOMOS technology for high speed quantum key distribution

Zhao-Yuan Chen; Chen-Xi Zhu; Zhi-Sheng Huang; Yang Li; Xin-Zhe Wang; Fu-Tian Liang; Ge Jin; Wen-Qi Cai; Sheng-Kai Liao; Cheng-Zhi Peng

doi:10.1063/5.0167218

A 1.25-GHz multi-amplitude modulator driver in 0.18 μm SiGe BiCOMOS technology for high speed quantum key distribution

Rev Sci Instrum. 2023 Oct 1;94(10):104703. doi: 10.1063/5.0167218.

Authors

Zhao-Yuan Chen^{1

2

3

4}, Chen-Xi Zhu⁵, Zhi-Sheng Huang⁶, Yang Li^{1

2

3}, Xin-Zhe Wang^{2

3}, Fu-Tian Liang^{1

2

3}, Ge Jin^{3

6}, Wen-Qi Cai^{1

2

3}, Sheng-Kai Liao^{1

2

3

5}, Cheng-Zhi Peng^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
² Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Science and CAS Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Shanghai 201315, China.
³ Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230088, China.
⁴ PLA Rocket Force University of Engineering, Xi'an 710025, China.
⁵ School of Cyberspace Security, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
⁶ Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.

PMID: 37796097
DOI: 10.1063/5.0167218

Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) research has yielded highly fruitful results and is currently undergoing an industrialization transformation. In QKD systems, electro-optic modulators are typically employed to prepare the required quantum states. While various QKD systems operating at GHz repetition frequency have demonstrated exceptional performance, they predominantly rely on instruments or printed circuit boards to fulfill the driving circuit function of the electro-optic modulator. Consequently, these systems tend to be complex with low integration levels. To address this challenge, we have introduced a modulator driver integrated circuit in 0.18 µm SiGe BiCMOS technology. The circuit can generate multiple-level driving signals with a clock frequency of 1.25 GHz and a rising edge of ∼50 ps. Each voltage amplitude can be independently adjusted, ensuring the precise preparation of quantum states. The measured signal-to-noise ratio was more than 17 dB, resulting in a low quantum bit error rate of 0.24% in our polarization-encoding system. This work will contribute to the advancement of QKD system integration and promote the industrialization process in this field.