A CubeSat compatible electronics platform for miniaturized single photon pair source

The successful field operations of quantum key distribution (QKD) networks in metropolitan area distances and free space QKD demonstrations over 100 km distances with entangled photon sources have triggered research towards next level (intercontinental distances) QKD networks. A natural way of achieving a global coverage is by means of the satellite technology and proposals are already being pursued by several groups around the world. One way of achieving this is by putting quantum light sources onboard satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) and establishing quantum channels with optical ground stations. As large scale satellite projects involve in high costs and long development cycles, an emerging nano satellite standard called CubeSats has been chosen to host entangled photon pair sources. Due to the complexity of the project, an iterative mission concept has been adopted and a pathfinder mission will demonstrate a correlated photon pair source onboard a CubeSat. This will validate the resources (opto-electronics, micro electronics and crystal technologies) which are required to build space based quantum networks. In this thesis, I will present how such a CubeSat compatible electronics platform is built from scratch and the performance of an integrated correlated photon pair source onboard a CubeSat for a period of nine months in the low earth orbit.