Margarida Almeida, a researcher in Quantum Communications and a PhD student in Electrical Engineering at the University of Aveiro, under the supervision of Nuno A. Silva (IT - UA) and Armando N. Pinto (IT - UA), recently received two prestigious awards at the Research Summit Conference held at the University of Aveiro, Portugal.

Margarida was honored with the Best Communication Award for her presentation "Optimization of CV-QKD Systems for Field Deployment," which delves into the core of her thesis research. In addition, she received a special award recognizing her outstanding contributions to her specific field of study.

Margarida’s thesis explores continuous-variables quantum key distribution, a technology that enables unconditionally secure cryptographic key distribution using standard telecom equipment. It focuses on higher-order discrete modulation to simplify the implementation while achieving near-optimal performance; and, highlights the importance of optimizing modulation formats based on the specific practical parameters of each experimental system. Additionally, the thesis addresses the challenges posed by optical fiber systems, particularly the polarization drift on the system’s performance. By refining digital signal processing techniques and incorporating polarization diversity, the work aims to enhance the system’s performance bringing us closer to practical, high-speed quantum encryption.

The Research Summit 2024, held from July 16-19, celebrated "50 Years of Research at UA: Challenges for the Future." The event provided a platform for the University of Aveiro's research community to engage in meaningful discussions, enhance collaboration, and drive forward cutting-edge research efforts.