Practical quantum retrieval games

Abstract

Complex cryptographic protocols are often constructed from simpler building-blocks. In order to advance quantum cryptography, it is important to study practical building-blocks that can be used to develop new protocols. An example is quantum retrieval games (QRGs), which have broad applicability and have already been used to construct quantum money schemes. In this work, we introduce a general construction of quantum retrieval games based on the hidden matching problem and show how they can be implemented in practice using available technology. More precisely, we provide a general method to construct (1-out-of-k) QRGs, proving that their cheating probabilities decrease exponentially in $k$. In particular, we define new QRGs based on coherent states of light, which can be implemented even in the presence of experimental imperfections. Our results constitute a new tool in the arsenal of the practical quantum cryptographer.