Chaos Analysis and Its Application in Secure Optical Communication Using QCLs

Abstract

As secure data transmission becomes increasingly critical, traditional encryption methods face vulnerabilities with the rise of advanced computing. Chaos theory, particularly in laser dynamics, offers a promising physical-layer security alternative through the generation of complex, unpredictable signals. Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs), due to their operation in the mid-infrared and terahertz range, are highly suitable for chaos-based communication.  Despite advances in semiconductor laser chaos synchronization, the practical use of QCLs for secure communication remains underexplored due to their unique intersubband transitions and complex dynamics under optical feedback.  This study  investigates chaotic synchronization in QCLs using optical feedback, modeling the dynamics of master-slave configurations through delay differential equations. Simulations show that synchronization is achievable with  correlation coefficients above 0.7 across various feedback delay and reflection parameters. Synchronization is optimized when feedback and injection delays are matched, and higher reflection coefficients improve robustness. Unlike prior works on generic semiconductor lasers, this research presents a tailored model for QCL systems and validates the feasibility of chaos-based communication using specific QCL parameters. The findings establish that properly synchronized chaotic QCL systems can be effectively used for secure optical communication, reducing reliance on algorithmic encryption. This work supports future experimental development and deployment of secure, scalable, and adaptive QCL-based communication networks.