Diamonds Harnessed to Secure Electronic Transmissions

Researchers at Melbourne University working on a quantum cryptography project are growing tiny diamond particles to create a unique optical fiber to transmit slices of information in single photons of light. The idea behind the experiment is to create secure information transmissions.

Research fellow Dr James Rabeau compares current technologies to “flicking a torch” to send a message to a friend across a room, thus allowing everyone in a room to see the light, or read the message. Even if the message is coded, hackers can pick it up and concentrate on cracking the code.

However the diamond technology, using microscopic CVD diamond particles 1/1000 of a millimeter in size, transmits a single photon beam instead of billions of photons in all directions. To use Rabeau’s analogy, only the friend across the room will see the light, adding another layer of security to electronic transmissions.

According to Dr Rabeau, even if the beam is intercepted “no useable information is gleaned". He goes further to say that the technique “exploits quantum mechanics. This allows you to communicate in total secrecy, with unhackable codes."

The project received A$3.3 million (US$2.58 million) grant to develop a prototype and make it commercially available.

Researchers are using CVD technology to produce the diamonds, growing the tiny crystals over the tip of the optic fiber.

Despite several outstanding issues that need to be resolved, such as slow transmission speeds, Dr Rabeau remains optimistic, expecting high demand, especially for military and national security uses.