Quantum-secured architecture promises faster, safer data links for AI-era networks

Quantum-secured architecture promises faster, safer data links for AI-era networks
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 21, 2025

As artificial intelligence drives an explosion in global data traffic, researchers have developed a new optical transmission system that could secure tomorrow's data networks against quantum-era cyber threats while reducing energy use and boosting speed.

Published in Advanced Photonics, the study introduces a quantum-secured data transmission architecture that minimizes digital signal processing (DSP) demands while achieving terabit-per-second data rates. The system is designed to meet the stringent speed, efficiency, and security requirements of AI-driven data center interconnects.

"Our work paves the way for the next generation of secure, scalable, and cost-efficient optical interconnects, protecting AI-driven data centers against quantum security threats while meeting the high demands of modern data-driven applications," the researchers state.

At the core of the design is self-homodyne coherent (SHC) transmission, a method that sends a reference signal alongside the data stream. This configuration simplifies decoding and enhances sensitivity, stability, and overall system efficiency. Using this technique, the team achieved data rates exceeding 1.6 terabits per second with low power consumption and cost.

For security, the system integrates quantum key distribution (QKD) to generate unbreakable encryption keys based on quantum mechanics. These quantum-generated keys are used with AES-256 encryption, offering protection even against future quantum computing attacks.

Both classical and quantum signals travel through multicore fibers-optical strands containing multiple independent channels-allowing simultaneous data and key distribution without interference. The setup remains fully compatible with existing fiber-optic infrastructure.

In laboratory experiments using seven-core fibers, classical data were transmitted using SHC while QKD secured the quantum channel. The researchers reported an average secret key rate of 229 kilobits per second and encrypted data transmission at 400 gigabits per second per core.

A 24-hour continuous test across 3.5 kilometers of fiber simulated real-world conditions, maintaining an average secret key rate of 205 kilobits per second. The system generated about 583 encryption keys every second, consuming 1,440 session keys and successfully encrypting and decrypting 21.6 petabits of data in real time without errors.

By combining advanced photonics and quantum cryptography, the team demonstrated a path toward secure, ultrafast, and energy-efficient optical networks capable of sustaining the rapid growth of AI applications such as autonomous vehicles and large language models.

Research Report:Quantum-secured DSP-lite data transmission architecture for AI-driven data centers