Scott Glancy obtained his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana (USA) in 2004. After finishing his Ph.D., he became a postdoc and then a permanent physics researcher for the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado (USA). He is also a lecturer in the University of Colorado physics department. His research interests include quantum information theory, statistical analysis of quantum experiments, and foundations of quantum theory.
Presentation Title:
Quantum Position Verification with Remote Untrusted Devices
Presentation Abstract:
Position information underpins many modern technologies, from navigation and timing to authentication and critical infrastructure. However, classical methods of proving that information originates from a particular position are vulnerable to spoofing. This limitation can be overcome with quantum technologies, but current protocols rely on trust in quantum hardware that can be undermined, or require quantum computers and bounds on adversarial classical computation. Nevertheless, there has been significant interest in experimental demonstrations, and aspects of these protocols have been implemented. Here, we introduce and experimentally demonstrate the Bell-test quantum position verification protocol for device-independent quantum position verification that guarantees security with only observed correlations from a loophole-free Bell test across a quantum network. We experimentally implement a version of this device-independent protocol against adversaries who, before each trial, are weakly entangled. Our demonstration achieves a one-dimensional localization 2.47(2) times smaller than the best, necessarily non-remote, classical localization protocol. Compared to classical protocols with identical latencies, the localization volume is 4.53(5) times smaller, and represents a certifiable quantum advantage. The general Bell-test protocol is loss-tolerant and secure against adversaries with significant quantum resources. This work allows digital security to be anchored to physically trusted locations, enabling new position-based authentication protocols for applications such as financial transactions, legal agreements, and securing critical infrastructure.