Abstract

Modern networks implement multilayer encryption architecture to increase network security, stability, and robustness. Encryption on the lower layers is essential for the safety of the entire network traffic. However, at the lower layers, the data rate is at its highest, and any latency affects the network bandwidth and reduces performance. The best solution to prevent latency is to resort to optical devices that operate at the optical transfer rate, which can revolutionize the field. We developed a new paradigm for optical encryption based on the strengths of optics over electronics and according to temporal optics principles and demonstrated a highly efficient all-optical encryption scheme for modern networks. Specifically, we utilize dispersion together with nonlinear interaction for mixing neighboring bits with a private key. The security of the system is not based on encryption algorithms but on the physical properties of photodetectors that are not able to read long ultrafast signals. Our system encrypts the entire network traffic with low latency, encrypts the signal itself, exploits only one nonlinear interaction, is energetically efficient with low ecologic footprint, and can be added to current networks without replacing the hardware such as the lasers, the transmitters, the routers, the amplifiers, or the receivers. Our method can replace current slow encryption methods or can be added to increase the security of existing systems.

© 2018 IEEE

56 Gb/s PAM4 physical secure communication based on electro-optic self-feedback hardware temporal phase encryption and decryption

Zhensen Gao, Ying Luo, Lihong Zhang, Bin Tang, Xulin Gao, Wenfu Gu, Yuehui Sun, Zhaohui Li, Yuwen Qin, and Yuncai Wang
Opt. Express 31(2) 1666-1676 (2023)

32 Gb/s physical-layer secure optical communication over 200 km based on temporal dispersion and self-feedback phase encryption

Zhensen Gao, Qihua Li, Lihong Zhang, Bin Tang, Ying Luo, Xulin Gao, Songnian Fu, Zhaohui Li, Yuncai Wang, and Yuwen Qin
Opt. Lett. 47(4) 913-916 (2022)

Photonic-layer secure 56 Gb/s PAM4 optical communication based on common noise driven synchronous private temporal phase en/decryption

Zhensen Gao, Lei Liao, Biao Su, Qiongqiong Wu, Xulin Gao, Songnian Fu, Zhaohui Li, Yuncai Wang, and Yuwen Qin
Opt. Lett. 47(19) 5232-5235 (2022)

All-optical encryption based on interleaved waveband switching modulation for optical network security

Mable P. Fok and Paul R. Prucnal
Opt. Lett. 34(9) 1315-1317 (2009)

100 Gb/s dynamically programmable SDN-enabled hardware encryptor for optical networks

Ekin Arabul, Rodrigo Stange Tessinari, Obada Alia, Romerson Oliveira, George T. Kanellos, Reza Nejabati, and Dimitra Simeonidou
J. Opt. Commun. Netw. 14(1) A50-A60 (2022)