Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / This thesis sought to design and implement a low-cost, portable, Free-Space Optics (FSO) communications device for Ethernet applications. Under some circumstances such a device would have utility at a Combat Operations Center (COC), a Field Artillery Position, or wherever else fiber optic cable is used in garrison or field. The design was based on commercial off the shelf components originally designed for fiber optic applications. Based on a 155 megabits per second (Mbps) media converter, the design used two fiber optic transceivers, coupled to collimating lenses to pass data over free-space. Sustained data rate of 100 Mbps was achieved with full network functionality on the optical bench with a low-power (0.5mW) laser diode transmitter without focusing optics on the receiver. The laser diode power(mounted on device), was measured with acceptable losses up to 300 ft during testing using a photodiode with focusing optics. The findings indicate that the system with proper collecting optics could be optimized for free-space communication at short to moderate ranges. / Captain, United States Marine Corps

O trabalho de doutorado teve como objetivo desenvolver um modulador óptico baseado em filme magnetostrictivo para aplicação como magnetômetro. A modelagem e simulação do dispositivo foi realizada utilizando software com cálculo por método dos elementos finitos (MEF) e teve como finalidade auxiliar iterativamente os processos de projeto e fabricação do modulador. A originalidade da proposta baseia-se na construção de um guia de onda em óptica integrada recoberto por um filme magnetostrictivo para permitir a modulação , via efeito elasto-óptico, da onda guiada pela aplicação de campos magnéticos externos. O campo magnético aplicado provoca a deformação o material magnetostrictivo que induz uma modificação no perfil de esforço aplicado ao substrato. O substrato tem suas propriedades ópticas alteradas devido ao efeito elasto-óptico, o que provoca mudanças nas propriedades da luz transmitida. O trabalho tem seu início com o estudo e a caracterização de filmes magnetostrictivos de Tb25F275 e Tb23Co77 depositados por sputtering sobre substratos de silício. Uma técnica para preparação das amostras e medição da magnetostricção foi estabelecida e os coeficientes de magnetostrição dos filmes foram determinados a partir das medições diretas dos deslocamentos das amostras, em função dos campos magnéticos aplicados, utilizando a técnica de Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Os resultados experimentais obtidos permitiram a realização de simulações por MEF para verificação dos modos de guiamento da luz gerados pelo perfil de esforços induzidos termicamente no processo de deposição do filme magnetostrictivo sobre substrato de B12GeO4 (BGO). Foi modelado e simulado também o efeito da aplicação do campo magnético sobre o guia óptico obtido inicialmente pelo efeito de esforço térmico. No resultado das simulações foi possível verificar as alterações do índice de refração efetivo e da intensidade óptica do modo guiado em função de campos magnéticos aplicados ao modulador. Ao final do trabalho realizaram-se a fabricação de alguns protótipos. Os resultados das caracterizações dos moduladores construídos permitirão, no futuro, ajustar os modelos de simulação elaborados. / The doctoral work aims are the development and simulation of an optical modulator based on the effect of magnetostriction for application as magnetometer. The multiphysics simulations were performed using the Finite Elements Method (FEM). In the manufacturing process of optical modulator integrated optics techniques were applied. The originality of the proposal is based on the construction of an integrated optical waveguide covered by a magnetostrictive film to allow the modulation of the guided wave, through the elasto-optical effect, by the application of external magnetic fields. The applied magnetic field causes deformation of the magnetostrictive material that induces a modification of the stress profile produced in substrate. The substrate has its optical properties altered due to the elasto-optical effect, which causes changes in the properties of transmitted light. The work begins with the study and characterization of TbFe and TbCo2 magnetostrictive films deposited by sputtering on silicon substrates. A method for sample preparation and measurement of magnetostriction was established. The magnetostrictive coefficient of the films was determined from the direct measurement of displacements of samples by AFM technique for magnetic fields applied. The experimental results obtained allowed to perform MEF simulations to verify the light guided modes generated by the profile of thermally induced stress created by deposition process of magnetostrictive film on B12GeO4 (BGO) substrate. It was also modeled and simulated the effect of the application of magnetic field on the optical guide obtained initially by the effect of thermal stress. In simulation results, it was possible to verify the changes of effective refractive index and optical intensity of guided modes as functions of magnetic fields applied to the modulator. At the end of the work, some prototypes were fabricated. The results of characterizations of the built modulators will allow, in the future, adjustments in simulation models.

Distributed fibre optic sensing (DFOS) is essential for structural health monitoring (SHM) of strain changes induced during the lifetime of a structure. Among different DFOS systems, the Brillouin Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (BOTDR) takes the advantages of obtaining full frequency spectrum to provide strain and temperature information along the optic fibre. The key parameters of distributed fibre optic sensors, spatial and frequency resolution, are strongly linked with the time-frequency (T-F) localisation in the system in three parts: pulse, hardware design and optical fibre. T-F localization is fundamentally important for the communication system, whereas in this study the importance of the T-F localisation to the spatial and frequency resolution, repeatability and the measurement speed are introduced in BOTDR. In this dissertation, the development of DFOS is first introduced, including both traditional methods and new developed designs. The literature review shows the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of BOTDR can be improved by investigating its T-F localisation. In the hardware design, in order to improve the T-F localisation in hardware architecture, a Short-Time Fourier Transform-Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry (STFT-BOTDR), which implements STFT over the full frequency spectrum to measure the distributed temperature and strain along the optic fibre, is applied so that the conventional frequency sweeping method can be replaced for high resolution and fast speed measurement, providing new research advances in dynamic distributed sensing. The STFT based BOTDR has better T-F localisation, which in turn provides an opportunity for off-line post signal processing that is more adaptable for fast speed measurements. The spatial and frequency resolution of dynamic BOTDR sensing is limited by the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and the T-F localization of the input pulse shape. The T-F localized input pulse shape can enhance the SNR and the spatial and frequency resolution in STFT-BOTDR. In this study, simulation and experiments of T-F localized different pulses shapes are conducted to examine the limitation of the system resolution. The result indicates that a rectangular pulse should be selected to optimize the spatial resolution and a Lorentzian pulse could be chosen to optimize the frequency resolution, while a Gaussian shape pulse can be used in general applications for its balanced performance in both spatial and frequency resolution. Meanwhile, T-F localization is used for pulse T-F localisation optimisation. A set of Kaiser-Bessel functions is used to simulate different pulse shapes and to compare their parameters in terms of T-F localisation and their Brillouin scattering spectrum. A method using an iterative filtering algorithm to achieve the optimised pulse in terms of T-F localisation is introduced to converge the Effective-pulse Width (TEW) in the time-domain and Effective-pulse Linewidth (FEL) in the frequency domain to identify the fundamental limitations. The optimised pulse can be fitted with a 7th order Gaussian (super-Gaussian) shape and it offers the best experimental performance compared to a Rectangular pulse. The sensitivity of a sensor to strain or temperature variations due to distributed Brillouin scattering is closely related to the power distribution on the Brillouin scattering spectrum which is related to the property of the optic fibre. The performance of a highly nonlinear fibre that can generate a higher Brillouin scattering signal is compared to that of a standard single mode fibre. The results show that much higher SNR of the Brillouin scattering spectrum and smaller frequency uncertainties in the sensing measurement can be achieved by using a highly nonlinear fibre for comparable launched powers. With a measurement speed of 4 Hz, the frequency uncertainty can be 0.43 MHz, corresponding to 10 με in strain or 0.43°C in temperature uncertainty for the tested highly nonlinear fibre. In contrast, for a standard single mode fibre, the value would increase to about 1.02 MHz (25 με or 1.02°C), demonstrating the advantage of the tested highly nonlinear fibre for distributed strain/temperature sensing. Results show that, by using a small effective area highly nonlinear fibre, the strain or temperature resolution can be improved because it generates stronger Brillouin scattering signal with high SNR and high Q factor spectrum, both of which determine the optimal averaging time in a single measurement. In general, the STFT-BOTDR can achieve 1 m spatial resolution, 10 με frequency resolution on a 10 km fibre with measurement speed at about 2.5 kHz.

Cette thèse de doctorat est composée de trois chapitres traitant de l’impact des innovations technologiques sur les marchés financiers, prenant comme cas d’étude le marché des changes. Le premier chapitre analyse l’impact des innovations technologiques sur la géographie du marché des changes. Il utilise la connexion des pays au réseau sous-marin des câbles à fibre optique comme mesure de choc technologique exogène. Les estimations montrent que l’introduction des câbles à fibre optique a contribué à concentrer la répartition des activités de trading dans quelques grandes places financières au détriment de toutes les autres. Le deuxième chapitre s’intéresse à l’impact de la technologie sur la réaction des marchés des changes à de nouvelles informations macroéconomiques et financières. Il estime que le développement des technologies de l’information et de la communication permet de réduire la volatilité sur les marchés des changes de façon significative. Enfin, le troisième chapitre montre que le trading à grande vitesse contribue à atténuer les réactions de marché aux chocs macroéconomiques exogènes. Une explication possible, qui s’appuie sur un modèle théorique, est que le trading à grande vitesse augmente la dispersion des cotations de change, qui en retour accroît le temps nécessaire pour les traders pour traiter l’information contenue dans les cotations, rendant de fait le marché moins réactif à de nouvelles informations macroéconomiques et financières. Cette thèse de doctorat propose une nouvelle façon de penser et de mesurer l’impact du progrès technologique sur les marchés financiers. La première contribution est d’utiliser le réseau sous-marin des câbles à fibre optique comme choc technologique exogène et de mesurer son impact sur la géographie des marchés des changes et la volatilité. La seconde contribution est de montrer le lien entre trading à grande vitesse, dispersion des cotations et efficience des marchés, en utilisant l’entropie des cotations comme mesure du temps nécessaire pour traiter l’information contenue dans les prix et en comprendre l’impact sur l’efficience de marché. / This PhD dissertation is a collection of three essays on how technology has been shaping financial markets, using as a case study the foreign exchange market. The first chapter investigates the impact of technological innovations on the geography of the foreign exchange market. It uses as a proxy for exogeneous technological changes the connection of countries to submarine fiber-optic cables. The estimates of this chapter suggest that technology contributes to concentrating foreign exchange trading in an handful of financial centers. The second chapter studies the impact of technology on the reaction of foreign exchange markets to macroeconomic announcements. It shows that the development of Information and Communication Technologies dampens foreign exchange markets volatility. Finally, the third chapter shows that fast trading dampens market reaction to new macroeconomic information. One possible explanation, based on a theoretical model, is that fast traders increase the dispersion in exchange rate quotes, i.e. the time traders need to process new information about market prices; in turn, entropy dampens the market’s reaction to macro news. This PhD dissertation provides a new way to measure and conceptualize technological progress with regards to financial markets. The first contribution is to treat the network of submarine fiber optic cables as an exogenous technological shock to investigate the impact of technology on the geography of foreign exchange trading and on volatility. The second contribution is to show that patterns in the distribution of quotes matters in the context of fast trading. The concept of entropy in exchange rate quotes is used to characterize how fast information diffuses on financial markets and thereby to assess the implications of fast trading on market efficiency.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar in vivo a detecção de cárie através do exame visual ICDAS, transiluminação por fibra ótica combinado ao ICDAS e exame radiográfico. Um total de 2.279 superfícies proximais e cicatrículas e fissuras em incisivos superiores, pré-molares e molares permanentes e 272 superfícies em molares decíduos em72 escolares (8 a 18 anos) foram avaliadas por um examinador treinado. Os sete escores para detecção de cárie primária do sistema visual ICDAS foram aplicados. Dois equipamentos de transiluminação por fibra ótica foram avaliados: FOTI Schott (SCH), com ponta de fibra ótica com 0,5mm de diâmetro, e FOTI Microlux (MIC), com diâmetro da ponta 3 mm. Durante o exame combinado FOTI/ICDAS, a fibra ótica era utilizada tanto para iluminar quanto para transiluminar a superfície sob avaliação. O exame radiográfico (RX) consistiu de radiografias interproximais posteriores e periapicais anteriores. Os exames foram realizados em consultório odontológico após escovação supervisionada. No primeiro dia de exame, o exame visual utilizando o ICDAS era realizado e em seguida, o exame combinado ao MIC ou SCH. Logo após era realizado o exame radiográfico. Após uma semana, novamente o ICDAS era realizado, e em seguida o exame combinado com o equipamento de FOTI não utilizado na semana anterior. Os exames foram repetidos em 10 pacientes após intervalo mínimo de uma semana para avaliação da reprodutibilidade intra-examinador, a qual apresentou valores de 0,95 (ICDAS), 0,94 (MIC), 0,95 (SCH) e 0,99 (RX) pelo kappa ponderado. Em cicatrículas e fissuras de permanentes, o RX julgou que um número maior de superfícies apresentava lesão em dentina (53) do que os outros métodos (34 a 36); porém não detectou nenhuma lesão em esmalte, as quais foram identificadas pelo ICDAS (94), SCH (107) e MIC (91). Em proximais permanentes, a transiluminação por fibra ótica identificou maior número de proximais como lesão em esmalte - 150 (SCH) e 139 (MIC) - do que o exame visual (106), enquanto o RX identificou somente 43. Em oclusais de decíduos, os quatro métodos julgaram um número aproximadamente similar de superfícies sem lesão (52 a 59) ou com lesão em dentina (21 a 26), assim como para lesões proximais em dentina (31 a 36). Entretanto um número reduzido de lesões proximais decíduas em esmalte foi julgado pelo exame radiográfico (3) em comparação com os outros métodos (15 a 16). Em decíduos, o ICDAS e o FOTI combinado ao exame visual julgaram maior número de lesões proximais em esmalte que o exame radiográfico, sendo que número similar de lesões em dentina foram classificadas pelos quatro métodos em oclusais e proximais de molares decíduos. Em cicatrículas e fissuras de permanentes, tanto o exame visual ICDAS quanto sua combinação aos dois equipamentos de transiluminação apresentaram maior similaridade de superfícies julgadas como lesão em esmalte ou como lesão em dentina, enquanto o exame radiográfico classificou mais superfícies como lesão em dentina e nenhuma como lesão em esmalte. A adição da transiluminação por fibra ótica ao exame visual aumentou em um terço a detecção das lesões cariosas proximais julgadas em dentina pelo ICDAS isoladamente e aproximadamente quadruplicou o número daquelas assim classificadas pela avaliação radiográfica em permanentes. / The aim of this in vivo study was to assess the ICDAS visual method, combined ICDAS/fiber optic transillumination and bite wing radiographs. A total of 2,279 pits and fissures in upper incisors, pre-molars and molars permanent surfaces and 272 primary molars surfaces in 72 patients (aged 8 to 18 years-old) were assessed by an trained examiner. The seven scores for coronal primary caries detection criteria from ICDAS visual criteria were applied. Two fiber optic transillumination devices were assessed: FOTI Schott, SCH, tip diameter 0,5 mm and FOTI Microlux, MIC, portable device, tip diameter 3 mm. During the FOTI/ICDAS combined exam, the fiber optic was used to illuminate and also to transilluminate the surface that was being evaluated. The radiograph examination (RX) was done by bite-wings for posterior teeth and periapical for anterior teeth. Examinations were performed using dental chair after supervised toothbrushing. In the first exam day, the visual exam using ICDAS was done followed by ICDAS combined to MIC or SCH. After that the radiograph exam was done. After one week, the ICDAS was done again followed by the FOTI that was not used the week before. The exams were repeated in 10 patients after, at least, one week of interval to evaluate the intra-examiner reproducibility , presenting weighted kappa values 0.95 (ICDAS), 0.94 (MIC), 0.95 (SCH) and 0.99 (RX). In permanent pits and fissures surfaces, RX deemed a greater number of surfaces presenting dentin lesions (53) than the other methods (34 to 36). However no enamel lesion was detected which were identified by ICDAS (94),SCH (107) and MIC (91). For permanent approximal surfaces, the fiber optic transillumination identified a greater number of approximal surfaces as having enamel lesions - 150 (SCH) and 139(MIC) - than visual exam (106), while RX identified only 43. For primary occlusal surfaces, the four methods deemed a similar number of surfaces without lesion (52 to 59) or with dentin lesion (21 to 26), the same for approximal dentin lesion (31 to 36). However a reduced number of primary approximal lesions were deemed by the RX (3) compared to the other methods (15 to 16). Im primary dentition, the ICDAS and FOTI combined to visual exam deemed a great number of enamel approximal lesions compared to RX, where a similar number of dentin lesions were classified by the four methods in primary occlusal and approximal surfaces. In permanent pitts and fissures, for ICDAS and FOTI/ICDAS combined, presented similarity in surfaces deemed as having enamel lesions or dentin lesions, while the radiograph exam classified a great number as having dentin lesion and no enamel lesion. Adding fiber optic transillumination to visual exam increased in one third approximal lesions deemed in dentin by the ICDAS alone and made fourfold the number of those as classified by permanent radiograph evaluation.

La présence croissante de diverses substances dans notre environnement, conséquencedes activités anthropiques de ces dernières décennies, a entraîné un besoingrandissant et urgent de nouveaux matériaux et dispositifs dans la quête de senseurschimiques efficaces et fiables. D'énormes progrès technologiques ont permis de mettreà disposition toute une gamme d'outils techniques pour leur développement, enprenant en compte les exigences à respecter en terme de sélectivité ou de rapidité deréponse, entre autres. Dans ce contexte, les méthodes de chimie quantique permettentune compréhension fondamentale des processus en jeu dans la détection des espèceschimiques, et par extension, l'élaboration de manière rationnelle de nouveauxmatériaux sensibles. Certaines molécules organiques pouvant être largementfonctionnalisées, elles constituent un point de départ idéal en raison des importantesmodulations possibles de leurs propriétés par des modifications structuralesappropriées.Cette étude vise à développer de manière rationnelle des chromoionophores pour lacomplexation de cations par une approche combinant méthodes de chimiecomputationnelles et caractérisation par spectroscopie optique. Deux pointsprincipaux ont été traités à l'aide de la Théorie de la Fonctionnelle de la Densité(DFT) et son extension dépendante du temps (TD-DFT): d'une part les relationsstructure moléculaire-propriétés optiques de chromophores, d'autre part le phénomènede complexation. En particulier, la détection de l'ion Zn2+, démontrée de manièrethéorique et expérimentale, est finalement réalisée après intégration du senseurmoléculaire dans un dispositif à fibre optique. / The increasing presence of various substances in our environment has brought abouta growing need for rapid emergence of new materials and devices in the quest forefficient and reliable chemical sensors. Massive technological progress have madeavailable an extensive range of technical tools to serve their development, accountingfor the requirements to be fulfilled (selectivity, quick response..). In this context,quantum chemistry methods provide a fundamental understanding of the processes atstake in the detection of chemical species and allow for rational design of sensingmaterials. Certain organic molecules can be extensively functionalised and thusconstitute an evident starting point owing to the tunability of their propertiesprovided by appropriate choice of structural modifications. The versatility of somechromophores associated to the selectivity offered by receptor units constitute theresearch playground for the development of ever better chemosensors.The present research aims at the rational development of chromoionophores for thecomplexation of cations, combining computational chemistry methods with basicspectroscopic characterisation. Using Density Functional Theory (DFT) and its timedependentextension (TD-DFT), two main aspects were treated, namely therelationship between molecular structure and optical properties of organicchromophores featuring valuable characteristics, and the complexation phenomenon.Photophysics of Zn2+ ion detection were more specifically studied, and recognitionwas demonstrated with both quantum-chemical calculations and experiments,accounting for the future integration of the chemical sensor in an optical fibre device.

O trabalho de doutorado teve como objetivo desenvolver um modulador óptico baseado em filme magnetostrictivo para aplicação como magnetômetro. A modelagem e simulação do dispositivo foi realizada utilizando software com cálculo por método dos elementos finitos (MEF) e teve como finalidade auxiliar iterativamente os processos de projeto e fabricação do modulador. A originalidade da proposta baseia-se na construção de um guia de onda em óptica integrada recoberto por um filme magnetostrictivo para permitir a modulação , via efeito elasto-óptico, da onda guiada pela aplicação de campos magnéticos externos. O campo magnético aplicado provoca a deformação o material magnetostrictivo que induz uma modificação no perfil de esforço aplicado ao substrato. O substrato tem suas propriedades ópticas alteradas devido ao efeito elasto-óptico, o que provoca mudanças nas propriedades da luz transmitida. O trabalho tem seu início com o estudo e a caracterização de filmes magnetostrictivos de Tb25F275 e Tb23Co77 depositados por sputtering sobre substratos de silício. Uma técnica para preparação das amostras e medição da magnetostricção foi estabelecida e os coeficientes de magnetostrição dos filmes foram determinados a partir das medições diretas dos deslocamentos das amostras, em função dos campos magnéticos aplicados, utilizando a técnica de Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Os resultados experimentais obtidos permitiram a realização de simulações por MEF para verificação dos modos de guiamento da luz gerados pelo perfil de esforços induzidos termicamente no processo de deposição do filme magnetostrictivo sobre substrato de B12GeO4 (BGO). Foi modelado e simulado também o efeito da aplicação do campo magnético sobre o guia óptico obtido inicialmente pelo efeito de esforço térmico. No resultado das simulações foi possível verificar as alterações do índice de refração efetivo e da intensidade óptica do modo guiado em função de campos magnéticos aplicados ao modulador. Ao final do trabalho realizaram-se a fabricação de alguns protótipos. Os resultados das caracterizações dos moduladores construídos permitirão, no futuro, ajustar os modelos de simulação elaborados. / The doctoral work aims are the development and simulation of an optical modulator based on the effect of magnetostriction for application as magnetometer. The multiphysics simulations were performed using the Finite Elements Method (FEM). In the manufacturing process of optical modulator integrated optics techniques were applied. The originality of the proposal is based on the construction of an integrated optical waveguide covered by a magnetostrictive film to allow the modulation of the guided wave, through the elasto-optical effect, by the application of external magnetic fields. The applied magnetic field causes deformation of the magnetostrictive material that induces a modification of the stress profile produced in substrate. The substrate has its optical properties altered due to the elasto-optical effect, which causes changes in the properties of transmitted light. The work begins with the study and characterization of TbFe and TbCo2 magnetostrictive films deposited by sputtering on silicon substrates. A method for sample preparation and measurement of magnetostriction was established. The magnetostrictive coefficient of the films was determined from the direct measurement of displacements of samples by AFM technique for magnetic fields applied. The experimental results obtained allowed to perform MEF simulations to verify the light guided modes generated by the profile of thermally induced stress created by deposition process of magnetostrictive film on B12GeO4 (BGO) substrate. It was also modeled and simulated the effect of the application of magnetic field on the optical guide obtained initially by the effect of thermal stress. In simulation results, it was possible to verify the changes of effective refractive index and optical intensity of guided modes as functions of magnetic fields applied to the modulator. At the end of the work, some prototypes were fabricated. The results of characterizations of the built modulators will allow, in the future, adjustments in simulation models.

<p>A previously designed lens system is constructed and characterized for possible application to engine diagnostics and 3D reconstructions of combusting flows. Since optical engines cannot be operated at the same conditions as a production engine, optical access to a production engine, with minimum changes in the engine geometry is necessary for developing a better understanding of the in-cylinder processes. The application of a probe designed to fit in the pressure transducer port of a diesel engine was demonstrated in this work. Measurement of various optical parameters established the ability of the lens system to have a good resolution over the entire stroke length of the cylinder. The temperature analysis of the probe and lens system confirmed its ability to withstand the high-temperature conditions in the engine cylinder head. The lens system design was coupled with imaging fibers to transmit images from the image plane of the probe to a high-speed camera located at a safe distance from the combusting environment. Due to the robust design of the probe and its compatibility with an imaging fiber, the probe was identified to be a good alternative as an inexpensive lens system for tomography in challenging environments. To validate its use, 3D reconstruction of a sewing pin using a range of views was demonstrated. Parameters affecting the reconstructions were identified and optimized to obtain high-quality reconstructions. </p>

<p>This doctoral thesis summarizes research in quantum cryptography done at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) from 1998 through 2007.</p><p>The opening parts contain a brief introduction into quantum cryptography as well as an overview of all existing single photon detection techniques for visible and near infrared light. Then, our implementation of a fiber optic quantum key distribution (QKD) system is described. We employ a one-way phase coding scheme with a 1310 nm attenuated laser source and a polarization-maintaining Mach-Zehnder interferometer. A feature of our scheme is that it tracks phase drift in the interferometer at the single photon level instead of employing hardware phase control measures. An optimal phase tracking algorithm has been developed, implemented and tested. Phase tracking accuracy of +-10 degrees is achieved when approximately 200 photon counts are collected in each cycle of adjustment. Another feature of our QKD system is that it uses a single photon detector based on a germanium avalanche photodiode gated at 20 MHz. To make possible this relatively high gating rate, we have developed, implemented and tested an afterpulse blocking technique, when a number of gating pulses is blocked after each registered avalanche. This technique allows to increase the key generation rate nearly proportionally to the increase of the gating rate. QKD has been demonstrated in the laboratory setting with only a very limited success: by the time of the thesis completion we had malfunctioning components in the setup, and the quantum bit error rate remained unstable with its lowest registered value of about 4%.</p><p>More than half of the thesis is devoted to various security aspects of QKD. We have studied several attacks that exploit component imperfections and loopholes in optical schemes. In a large pulse attack, settings of modulators inside Alice's and Bob's setups are read out by external interrogating light pulses, without interacting with quantum states and without raising security alarms. An external measurement of phase shift at Alice's phase modulator in our setup has been demonstrated experimentally. In a faked states attack, Eve intercepts Alice's qubits and then utilizes various optical imperfections in Bob's scheme to construct and resend light pulses in such a way that Bob does not distinguish his detection results from normal, whereas they give Bob the basis and bit value chosen at Eve's discretion. Construction of such faked states using several different imperfections is discussed. Also, we sketch a practical workflow of breaking into a running quantum cryptolink for the two abovementioned classes of attacks. A special attention is paid to a common imperfection when sensitivity of Bob's two detectors relative to one another can be controlled by Eve via an external parameter, for example via the timing of the incoming pulse. This imperfection is illustrated by measurements on two different single photon detectors. Quantitative results for a faked states attack on the Bennett-Brassard 1984 (BB84) and the Scarani-Acin-Ribordy-Gisin 2004 (SARG04) protocols using this imperfection are obtained. It is shown how faked states can in principle be constructed for quantum cryptosystems that use a phase-time encoding, the differential phase shift keying (DPSK) and the Ekert protocols. Furthermore we have attempted to integrate this imperfection of detectors into the general security proof for the BB84 protocol. For all attacks, their applicability to and implications for various known QKD schemes are considered, and countermeasures against the attacks are proposed.</p><p>The thesis incorporates published papers [J. Mod. Opt. 48, 2023 (2001)], [Appl. Opt. 43, 4385 (2004)], [J. Mod. Opt. 52, 691 (2005)], [Phys. Rev. A 74, 022313 (2006)], and [quant-ph/0702262].</p>

This doctoral thesis summarizes research in quantum cryptography done at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) from 1998 through 2007. The opening parts contain a brief introduction into quantum cryptography as well as an overview of all existing single photon detection techniques for visible and near infrared light. Then, our implementation of a fiber optic quantum key distribution (QKD) system is described. We employ a one-way phase coding scheme with a 1310 nm attenuated laser source and a polarization-maintaining Mach-Zehnder interferometer. A feature of our scheme is that it tracks phase drift in the interferometer at the single photon level instead of employing hardware phase control measures. An optimal phase tracking algorithm has been developed, implemented and tested. Phase tracking accuracy of +-10 degrees is achieved when approximately 200 photon counts are collected in each cycle of adjustment. Another feature of our QKD system is that it uses a single photon detector based on a germanium avalanche photodiode gated at 20 MHz. To make possible this relatively high gating rate, we have developed, implemented and tested an afterpulse blocking technique, when a number of gating pulses is blocked after each registered avalanche. This technique allows to increase the key generation rate nearly proportionally to the increase of the gating rate. QKD has been demonstrated in the laboratory setting with only a very limited success: by the time of the thesis completion we had malfunctioning components in the setup, and the quantum bit error rate remained unstable with its lowest registered value of about 4%. More than half of the thesis is devoted to various security aspects of QKD. We have studied several attacks that exploit component imperfections and loopholes in optical schemes. In a large pulse attack, settings of modulators inside Alice's and Bob's setups are read out by external interrogating light pulses, without interacting with quantum states and without raising security alarms. An external measurement of phase shift at Alice's phase modulator in our setup has been demonstrated experimentally. In a faked states attack, Eve intercepts Alice's qubits and then utilizes various optical imperfections in Bob's scheme to construct and resend light pulses in such a way that Bob does not distinguish his detection results from normal, whereas they give Bob the basis and bit value chosen at Eve's discretion. Construction of such faked states using several different imperfections is discussed. Also, we sketch a practical workflow of breaking into a running quantum cryptolink for the two abovementioned classes of attacks. A special attention is paid to a common imperfection when sensitivity of Bob's two detectors relative to one another can be controlled by Eve via an external parameter, for example via the timing of the incoming pulse. This imperfection is illustrated by measurements on two different single photon detectors. Quantitative results for a faked states attack on the Bennett-Brassard 1984 (BB84) and the Scarani-Acin-Ribordy-Gisin 2004 (SARG04) protocols using this imperfection are obtained. It is shown how faked states can in principle be constructed for quantum cryptosystems that use a phase-time encoding, the differential phase shift keying (DPSK) and the Ekert protocols. Furthermore we have attempted to integrate this imperfection of detectors into the general security proof for the BB84 protocol. For all attacks, their applicability to and implications for various known QKD schemes are considered, and countermeasures against the attacks are proposed. The thesis incorporates published papers [J. Mod. Opt. 48, 2023 (2001)], [Appl. Opt. 43, 4385 (2004)], [J. Mod. Opt. 52, 691 (2005)], [Phys. Rev. A 74, 022313 (2006)], and [quant-ph/0702262].