  We investigate an integrated optical circuit on lithium niobate designed to
implement the teleportation-based quantum relay scheme for one-way quantum
communication at a telecom wavelength. Such an advanced quantum circuit merges
for the first time, both optical-optical and electro-optical non-linear
functions necessary to implement the desired on-chip single qubit
teleportation. On one hand, spontaneous parametric down-conversion is used to
produce entangled photon-pairs. On the other hand, we take advantage of two
photon routers, consisting of electro-optically controllable couplers, to
separate the paired photons and to perform a Bell state measurement,
respectively. After having validated all the individual functions in the
classical regime, we have performed a Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) experiment to mimic
a one-way quantum communication link. Such a quantum effect, seen as a
prerequisite towards achieving teleportation, has been obtained, at one of the
routers, when the chip was coupled to an external single photon source. The
two-photon interference pattern shows a net visibility of 80%, which validates
the proof of principle of a "quantum relay circuit" for qubits carried by
telecom photons. In case of optimized losses, such a chip could increase the
maximal achievable distance of one-way quantum key distribution links by a
factor 1.8. Our approach and results emphasize the high potential of integrated
optics on lithium niobate as a key technology for future reconfigurable quantum
information manipulation.
