Feasible high-dimensional measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution

Abstract

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) can resist all possible attacks from practical measurement devices. High-dimensional (HD) MDI-QKD in multiple degrees of freedom (DOFs) can efficiently increase the key generation rate and has strong noise and error resistance. However, previous HD MDI-QKD protocols in multiple DOFs required complete hyperentangled Bell state analysis (HBSA), which cannot be realized under current experimental conditions and largely limits the practicality of the HD MDI-QKD. In this paper, we propose an HD MDI-QKD protocol in multiple DOFs which adopts a linear-optical HBSA. This adoption of the linear-optical HBSA makes our HD MDI-QKD feasible under current experimental technology. The key generation rate of our MDI-QKD protocol is about eight times of the original MDI-QKD protocol. Our HD MDI-QKD protocol may have potential applications in current and future quantum communication fields.