Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University published a study in National Science Review describing a novel integrated encryption and communication (IEAC) framework that combines strong security with high-capacity transmission performance.
Schematic of the 1 Tb/s WDM transmission system (a) and BER/MI comparisons between IEAC and traditional methods (b, c). Legal users achieve effective communication, while eavesdroppers fail to decode information. Image Credit: Science China Press
By dynamically optimizing geometric constellation shaping (GCS) using end-to-end deep learning (E2EDL), the system achieved a record 1 Tb/s secure transmission over 1200 km of optical fiber, marking a significant advancement in high-capacity, long-haul secure fiber communications.
Transmission speed is frequently sacrificed for security in traditional secure communication techniques like chaotic encryption and quantum key distribution (QKD). The IEAC framework removes this trade-off by directly integrating encryption into the communication process.
Using E2EDL, the system maximizes mutual information (MI) for authorized users while reducing MI for eavesdroppers to near-zero levels. According to experimental results, illegal users' MI values were less than 0.2 bits per symbol, making intercepted data indistinguishable from noise.
The dynamic GCS scheme used by the IEAC framework encrypts every transmitted symbol with a distinct key generated by high-speed random number generators. This one-time pad-like encryption ensures security without degrading transmission quality.
Even in the presence of nonlinear fiber distortions, the system was able to maintain a bit error rate (BER) below 2×10⁻² in a 26-channel wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) setup covering the entire C-band (3.9 THz bandwidth).
Our work bridges the gap between security and transmission performance in optical communications. By embedding encryption into the physical layer, IEAC paves the way for secure, high-throughput networks capable of supporting AI-driven data demands.
Lilin Yi, Professor and Study Corresponding Author, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
The IEAC framework is positioned as a game-changing solution for global data centers, cloud services, and upcoming 6G networks due to its scalability and compatibility with current infrastructure.
Journal Reference:
Niu, Z., et al. (2025) Experimental Demonstration of Integrated Encryption and Communication over Optical Fibre. National Science Review. doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaf112.