Quantum Hilbert Transform Enables Novel Signal Processing and Secure Communication.

Researchers developed a quantum analogue of the Hilbert transform (QHT), a standard signal processing tool. Application of QHT to a steganography protocol demonstrates potential advances in signal processing, communications, sensing and secure information concealment by integrating classical and quantum operations.

The Hilbert transform, a cornerstone of signal processing with applications spanning diverse fields such as medical imaging and telecommunications, lacks a direct quantum equivalent – until now. Researchers have addressed this gap by formulating a Quantum Hilbert Transform (QHT), a development with potential implications for quantum communications, sensing technologies and data security. In a new study, Nitin Jha and Abhishek Parakh, both from Kennesaw State University, detail their formulation of the QHT and demonstrate its application within a steganography protocol – a technique for concealing information. Their work, titled ‘Quantum Hilbert Transform’, establishes a link between established classical phase-shift methods and quantum operations, potentially opening avenues for advanced signal manipulation and secure data transmission.

Researchers have developed a quantum analogue of the classical Hilbert Transform (QHT), a significant development with implications for quantum signal processing and secure communication. The classical Hilbert Transform, a mathematical operation widely used in fields such as biomedical imaging and signal analysis, lacked a direct quantum counterpart until now. This work successfully formulates and implements the QHT, opening new avenues for information encoding and manipulation.

The core of this innovation lies in adapting classical phase-shift techniques – which alter the phase of a signal – to the quantum domain. This adaptation underpins the development of enhanced secure communication methods. Researchers demonstrate the QHT’s utility by integrating it into a three-stage quantum cryptography protocol designed for secure key distribution and communication. Crucially, the work includes a rigorous security analysis, evaluating the protocol’s resistance to potential eavesdropping attacks.

This research builds upon established quantum cryptography protocols, such as the Kak protocol, and expands the possibilities for secure communication through a novel method for manipulating quantum information. The QHT is not limited to cryptography; its versatility extends to areas such as quantum sensing, where it could improve the detection of faint signals.

Researchers also demonstrate a formulation of the QHT and apply it to a steganography protocol – the practice of concealing a message within another – effectively extending the capabilities of a classical signal processing tool into the quantum realm. This work establishes a connection between established classical phase-shift techniques and quantum operations, suggesting potential applications across diverse fields including signal processing, communications, sensing, and secure information hiding.