Metrology for Quantum Communication

INRIM is making efforts to produce a metrology for quantum communication purposes, ranging from the establishment of measurement procedures for specific quantities related to QKD components, namely pseudo single-photon sources and detectors, to the implementation of novel QKD protocol based on paradigm other than non-commuting observables, to the development of quantum tomographic techniques, to the realization and characterization of a quasi-noiseless single-photon source. In particular in this paper we summarize this last activity together with the description of the preliminary results related to a four-wave mixing source that our group realized in order to obtain a source with a narrow band low noise single photon emission, a demanding feature for applications to quantum repeaters and memories.