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In physical-layer security and cryptography we are concerned with the security of the transmitted data, while in low probability of intercept (LPI) communication with protecting the privacy of the end users. In our recent publications related to LPI communications and radars over free-space optical (FSO) links we proposed to hide the constant-amplitude modulated data, imposed on thermal source beam, in ambient solar radiation to protect the end users privacy and at the same time improve the reliability and security, while reducing the detectability of transmitted signal by the adversary Willie. In order to study both LPI and covert communication concepts we have developed an FSO communication testbed at the University of Arizona campus with a 1.5 km-long FSO link. Here we present results of our FSO experiments, where we conducted both LPI and covert communications at data rates ranging from 125 Mb/s to 10 Gb/s, wherein the information beam is kept completely hidden under the ambient solar radiations as random thermal noise. To improve the system reliability to atmospheric turbulence effects we make use of wavelength diversity method as a low-cost, easy to implement and far more practical alternative to conventional adaptive optics systems. 

Second-harmonic generation (SHG) plays a significant role in modern photonic technology. Integrated photonic resonators fabricated with thin-film lithium niobate can achieve ultrahigh efficiencies by combining small mode volumes with high material nonlinearity. Cavity-enhanced SHG requires accurate phase and frequency matching conditions, where fundamental and second-harmonic wavelengths are both on resonance. However, this double-resonance condition can typically be realized only at a fixed random wavelength due to the high sensitivity of photonic resonances to the device geometry and fabrication variations. Here, we propose a novel method that can achieve the double-resonance condition over a large wavelength range. We combine thermal-optic and electro-optic (EO) effects to realize the separate tuning of fundamental and second-harmonic resonances. We demonstrated that the optimum SHG efficiency can be maintained over a wavelength range that exceeds the limit achievable with only thermal tuning. With this flexible tuning capability, we further show the precise alignment of SHG wavelengths of two separate thin-film lithium niobate resonators without sacrificing efficiencies. 

In this invited paper we review our recent research activities on experimental demonstration of entanglement based (EB) radars, operated over strong atmospheric turbulence channels. In conventional EB communications, sensing, and radars the phase-conjugation, required before homodyne detection takes place, is performed on received signal photons. In atmospheric turbulent channels, the signal photons are affected by diffraction, absorption, scattering, and atmospheric turbulence effects so that only limited number of weak target probe returned signal photons reach the receiver side in EB radars. Moreover, it is extremely difficult to perform any phase-conjugation on weak signal photons when the average number of received photons is <<1. To solve this problem, we have recently proposed to perform phase-conjugation on bright idler photons instead. Namely, we perform the wavelength conversion by the PPLN waveguide on bright idler photons, so that the idler photons will have the same wavelength as the signal photons, and after that we use a classical homodyne balanced detector as an entanglement assisted detector. To generate entangled photon pairs, we use C-/L-band tunable laser, EDFA, the PPLN waveguide, and WDM demultiplexers. To demonstrate the high-potential of the proposed EB radar concept, we developed an experimental outdoor free-space optical (FSO) testbed at the University of Arizona campus. Using this FSO testbed we experimentally demonstrate that the proposed EB radar significantly outperforms the corresponding classical counterpart and can operate in strong turbulence regime. To improve the detection probabilities further, we use deformable mirror-based adaptive optics. 

Two S-/L-band pumps, satisfying PPLN-waveguide quasi-phase-matching-condition, are used to generate bright entangled-photons providing needed flexibility in wavelength-selection over entire C-band. By performing phase-conjugation on idler photons, we demonstrate entanglement-assisted communication at 1Gb/s over 1.5km FSO link operated in beyond strong turbulence regime. 

Two S-/L-band pumps, satisfying PPLN-waveguide quasi-phase-matching-condition, are used to generate bright entangled-photons providing needed flexibility in wavelength-selection over entire C-band. By performing phase-conjugation on idler photons, we demonstrate entanglement-assisted communication at 1Gb/s over 1.5km FSO link operated in beyond strong turbulence regime. 

We demonstrate record 10 Gb/s entanglement assisted communication over 1.5 km long turbulent free-space optical link in which optical phase-conjugation is performed on bright idler photons. To further improve the system performance adaptive optics is used.