QKD Protocols Research Articles

Optimized protocol for twin-field quantum key distribution

Twin-field quantum key distribution (TF-QKD) and its variant protocols are highly attractive due to the advantage of overcoming the rate-loss limit for secret key rates of point-to-point QKD protocols. For variations of TF-QKD, the key point to ensure security is switching randomly between a code mode and a test mode. Among all TF-QKD protocols, their code modes are very different, e.g. modulating continuous phases, modulating only two opposite phases, and sending or not sending signal pulses. Here we show that, by discretizing the number of global phases in the code mode, we can give a unified view on the first two types of TF-QKD protocols, and demonstrate that increasing the number of discrete phases extends the achievable distance, and as a trade-off, lowers the secret key rate at short distances due to the phase post-selection.

Reference-frame-independent, measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution using fewer quantum states.

Reference-frame-independent quantum key distribution (RFI-QKD) provides a practical way to generate secret keys between two remote parties without sharing common reference frames. On the other hand, measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD) offers a high level of security, as it is immune to all quantum hacking attempts to measurement devices. The combination of these two QKD protocols, i.e., RFI-MDI-QKD, is one of the most fascinating QKD protocols, since it holds advantages of both practicality and security. For further practicality of RFI-MDI-QKD, it is beneficial to reduce the implementation complexity. Here, we show that RFI-MDI-QKD can be implemented using fewer quantum states than those of its original proposal. We find that, in principle, the number of quantum states for one of the parties can be reduced from six to three without compromising security. Compared to conventional RFI-MDI-QKD where both parties transmit six quantum states, it significantly simplifies the implementation of the QKD protocol. We also verify the feasibility of the scheme with a proof-of-principle experiment.

One-sided device-independent quantum key distribution for two independent parties.

Remote distribution of secret keys is a challenging task in quantum cryptography. A significant step in this direction is the measurement-device independence quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD). For two remote (or independent) parties Alice and Bob who initially no share secret information, the MDI-QKD enables them to share a secret key by the measurement of an untrusted relay. Unfortunately, the MDI-QKD yields the assumption that the devices of both Alice and Bob have to be trusted. Here, we show that QKD between two independent parties can also be realized even if the device of either Alice or Bob is untrusted. We tackle the problem by resorting to the recently developed one-sided device-independent QKD protocol. We derive conditions on the extracted secret key to be unconditionally secure against arbitary attacks in the limit of asymptotic keys. In the presence of Gaussian states and measurements, we theoretically demonstrate our scheme is feasible, which could be an attractive candidate for long distance secret communication.

A polarization quantum key distribution scheme based on phase matching

The Quantum Key Distribution protocol can encode a single quantum state and implements an information-theoretically secure key distribution protocol in communication. In the actual QKD experimental system, there are usually two encoding methods which are phase encoding and polarization encoding. Ma et al (Phase-Matching Quantum Key Distribution, Phys. Rev. X., 2018, 83) proposed the phase-matching QKD protocol, which has high transmission and it is an extension of the measurement device independent QKD. This paper successfully gives the polarization scheme of this PM-QKD protocol, the bases in the polarization scheme are arbitrary, and eliminates detector side channel attacks. Furthermore, we give the security analysis and simulation results of the polarization scheme, and compare it with the BB84 protocol. The simulation results show that our protocol is superior to the BB84 protocol in terms of transmission distance under the fixed key rate.

Sending-or-Not-Sending with Independent Lasers: Secure Twin-Field Quantum Key Distribution over 509 km

Twin-field (TF) quantum key distribution (QKD) promises high key rates over long distances to beat the rate-distance limit. Here, applying the sending-or-not-sending TF QKD protocol, we experimentally demonstrate a secure key distribution that breaks the absolute key-rate limit of repeaterless QKD over a 509-km-long ultralow loss optical fiber. Two independent lasers are used as sources with remote-frequency-locking technique over the 500-km fiber distance. Practical optical fibers are used as the optical path with appropriate noise filtering; and finite-key effects are considered in the key-rate analysis. The secure key rate obtained at 509km is more than seven times higher than the relative bound of repeaterless QKD for the same detection loss. The achieved secure key rate is also higher than that of a traditional QKD protocol running with a perfect repeaterless QKD device, even for an infinite number of sent pulses. Our result shows that the protocol and technologies applied in this experiment enable TF QKD to achieve a high secure key rate over a long distribution distance, and is therefore practically useful for field implementation of intercity QKD.

Hybrid QKD Protocol Outperforming Both DV- and CV-QKD Protocols

To overcome the limitations of both discrete variable (DV) and continuous variable (CV) QKD protocols, in this paper, a hybrid QKD protocol is proposed. In the proposed hybrid QKD protocol, Alice simultaneously performs discrete modulation (DM)-based encoding for CV-QKD subsystem and time-phase encoding for DV-QKD on a transmitter side and transmits such hybrid encoded pulse with optimized average number of photons per pulse. On receiver side, Bob employs a 1:2 optical space switch to select either DV-QKD receiver or CV-QKD receiver with the optimized probability of selection. Other compatible CV-QKD and DV-QKD protocols can also be used in hybrid QKD. Bob further performs the classical postprocessing applied to both subsystems so that resulting joint secure key is derived from both subsystems. The proposed hybrid QKD protocol significantly outperforms previously introduced both Gaussian modulation (GM)- and DM-based CV-QKD protocols as well as DV-QKD protocols in terms of both secret-key rate and achievable transmission distance.

Tripartite Layered Quantum Key Distribution Scheme with a Symmetrical Key Structure

Asymmetric entanglement could provide a crucial layered key structure for quantum cryptography. A new symmetrical tripartite quantum key distribution scheme based on the simplest layered quantum key distribution (L-QKD) model is devised. With an interesting rotational symmetrical key distribution scheme, the proposed tripartite QKD protocol could establish a more integrated key system, which expands the number of conference keys for secure broadcast and distribute layered secret keys among any legitimate participants simultaneously. The proposed scheme is more flexible, robust and efficient to guarantee the fairness among communication parties than the original L-QKD protocol, and our scheme also could be applied to encryption in the butterfly network precisely. Moreover, based on three asymmetric (4, 4, 2) entangled state, a novel symmetric (4, 4, 4) entangled state to implement L-QKD scheme is discussed. Finally, the security of L-QKD scheme is analyzed via information-theoretic proof.

High-Dimensional Semiquantum Cryptography

A semiquantum key distribution (SQKD) protocol allows two users, one of whom is restricted in their quantum capabilities to being nearly classical, to establish a shared secret key, secure against an all-powerful adversary. The study of such protocols helps to answer the fundamental question of “how quantum” must a protocol be to gain an advantage over classical communication. In this article, we design a new SQKD protocol using high-dimensional quantum states and conduct an information theoretic security analysis. We show that, similar to the fully quantum key distribution case, high-dimensional systems can increase the noise tolerance in the semiquantum case. Furthermore, we prove several general security results which are applicable to other (S)QKD protocols (both high-dimensional ones and standard qubit-based protocols) utilizing a two-way quantum channel.

Autocompensating high-dimensional quantum cryptography by phase conjugation in optical fibers

We present a system based on phase conjugation in optical fibers for autocompensating highdimensional quantum cryptohraphy. Phase changes and coupling effects are auto-compensated by a single loop between Alice and Bob. Bob uses a source of coherent states and next Alice attenuate them up to a single photon level and thus 1-qudit states are generated for implementing a particular QKD protocol, for instance the BB84 one, together with decoy states to detect eavesdropping attacks.

Joint QKD-Post-Quantum Cryptosystems

To extend the transmission distance and/or improve secret-key rate of QKD protocols, we propose to employ the joint QKD-post-quantum cryptosystems in which QKD is used for raw-key transmission while the post-quantum cryptography (PQC) subsystem to transmit parity bits for information reconciliation. We also describe a run-time configurable spatially coupled (SC)-LDPC code, derived from template quasi cyclic (QC)-LDPC, suitable for use in both information reconciliation and McEliece crypto-subsystem. For twin-field (TF)-QKD subsystem, the proposed joint cryptosystem, which takes the complexity of algorithm used to break the PQC subsystem into account, is able to achieve record distance of 1238 km over ultra-low-loss fiber.

Asymptotic Security Analysis of Discrete-Modulated Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution

Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV QKD) protocols with discrete modulation are interesting due to their experimental simplicity and their great potential for massive deployment in the quantum-secured networks, but their security analysis is less advanced than that of Gaussian modulation schemes. In this work, we apply a numerical method to analyze the security of discrete-modulation protocols against collective attacks in the asymptotic limit, paving the way for a full security proof with finite-size effects. While our method is general for discrete-modulation schemes, we focus on two variants of the CV QKD protocol with quaternary modulation. Interestingly, thanks to the tightness of our proof method, we show that this protocol is capable of achieving much higher key rates over significantly longer distances with experimentally feasible parameters compared with previous security proofs of binary and ternary modulation schemes and also yielding key rates comparable to Gaussian modulation schemes. Furthermore, as our security analysis method is versatile, it allows us to evaluate variations of the discrete-modulated protocols, including direct and reverse reconciliation, and postselection strategies. In particular, we demonstrate that postselection of data in combination with reverse reconciliation can improve the key rates.

Efficient quantum key distribution protocol based on classical–quantum polarized channels

To improve the efficiency of QKD systems, a new QKD protocol based on classical–quantum polarized channels is proposed in this article. By precoding the raw key with polar codes before communication, this protocol has higher code rate and lower time cost compared with the traditional ones. According to the attack strategies that eavesdroppers might employ, we have analyzed the protocol’s security under ideal and practical channel models. We prove that under proper channel parameter setting, the security of this protocol is not lower than BB84 under intercept strategy.

Reference-Frame-Independent Quantum Key Distribution Using Fewer States

Reference-frame-independent quantum key distribution (RFI QKD) protocol can reduce the requirement on the alignment of reference frames in practical systems. However, comparing with the Bennett-Brassard (BB84) QKD protocol, the main drawback of RFI QKD is that Alice needs to prepare six encoding states in the three mutually unbiased bases (X, Y, and Z), and Bob also needs to measures the quantum state with such three bases. Here, we show that the RFI QKD protocol can be secured in the case where Alice sends fewer states. In particular, we find that transmitting three states (two eigenstates of the Z basis and one of the eigenstates in the X basis) is sufficient to obtain the comparable secret key rates and the covered distances, even when the security against coherent attacks with statistical fluctuations of finite-key size is considered. Finally, a proof-of-principle experiment based on time-bin encoding is demonstrated to show the feasibility of our scheme, and its merit to simplify the experimental setup.

Semiquantum key distribution with high quantum noise tolerance

Semi-quantum key distribution protocols are designed to allow two parties to establish a shared secret key, secure against an all-powerful adversary, even when one of the users is restricted to measuring and preparing quantum states in one single basis. While interesting from a theoretical standpoint, these protocols have the disadvantage that a two-way quantum communication channel is necessary which generally limits their theoretical efficiency and noise tolerance. In this paper, we construct a new semi-quantum key distribution (SQKD) protocol which actually takes advantage of this necessary two-way channel, and, after performing an information theoretic security analysis against collective attacks, we show it is able to tolerate a channel noise level higher than any prior SQKD protocol to-date. We also compare the noise tolerance of our protocol to other two-way fully quantum protocols, along with BB84 with Classical Advantage Distillation (CAD). We also comment on some practical issues involving semi-quantum key distribution (in particular, concerning the potential complexity in physical implementation of our protocol as compared with other standard QKD protocols). Finally, we develop techniques that can be applied to the security analysis of other (S)QKD protocols reliant on a two-way quantum communication channel.

Twin-Field Quantum Key Distribution without Phase Postselection

Twin-field quantum key distribution (TF-QKD) protocol and its variants, e.g. phase-matching (PM) QKD and TF-QKD based on sending or not sending, are highly attractive since they are able to overcome the well-known rate-loss limit for QKD protocols without repeater: $R=O(\eta)$ with $\eta$ standing for the channel transmittance. However, all these protocols require active phase randomization and post-selection that play an essential role together in their security proof. Counterintuitively, we find that in TF-QKD, beating the rate-loss limit is still possible even if phase randomization and post-selection in the coding mode are both removed, which means our final secure key rate $R=O(\sqrt{\eta})$. Furthermore, our protocol is more feasible in practice and more promising according to its higher final key rate in the valid distance. Our security proof counters collective attack and can also counter coherent attack in asymptotical case

Entropy Accumulation With Improved Second-Order Term

The entropy accumulation theorem states that the smooth min-entropy of an $n$-partite system $A = (A_1, \ldots, A_n)$ is lower-bounded by the sum of the von Neumann entropies of suitably chosen conditional states up to corrections that are sublinear in $n$. This theorem is particularly suited to proving the security of quantum cryptographic protocols, and in particular so-called device-independent protocols for randomness expansion and key distribution, where the devices can be built and preprogrammed by a malicious supplier. However, while the bounds provided by this theorem are optimal in the first order, the second-order term is bounded more crudely, in such a way that the bounds deteriorate significantly when the theorem is applied directly to protocols where parameter estimation is done by sampling a small fraction of the positions, as is done in most QKD protocols. The objective of this paper is to improve this second-order sublinear term and remedy this problem. On the way, we prove various bounds on the divergence variance, which might be of independent interest.

Simple security analysis of phase-matching measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution

Variations of phase-matching measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (PM-MDI QKD) protocols have been investigated before, but it was recently discovered that this type of protocol (under the name of twin-field QKD) can beat the linear scaling of the repeaterless bound on secret key rate capacity. We propose a variation of PM-MDI QKD protocol, which reduces the sifting cost and uses non-phase-randomized coherent states as test states. We provide a security proof in the infinite key limit. Our proof is conceptually simple and gives tight key rates. We obtain an analytical key rate formula for the loss-only scenario, confirming the square root scaling and also showing the loss limit. We simulate the key rate for realistic imperfections and show that PM-MDI QKD can overcome the repeaterless bound with currently available technology.

Long-distance continuous-variable quantum key distribution using separable Gaussian states

Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) is considered to be an alternative to classical cryptography for secure communication. However, its transmission distance is restricted to metropolitan areas, given that it is affected by the channel excess noise and losses. In this paper, we present a scheme for implementing long-distance CVQKD using separable Gaussian states. This tunable QKD protocol requires separable Gaussian states, which are squeezed and displaced, along with the assistance of classical communication and available linear optics compoments. This protocol originates from the entanglement of one mode and the auxiliary mode used for distribution, which is first destroyed by local correlated noises and restored subsequently by the interference of the auxillary mode with the second distant separable correlated mode. The displacement matrix is organized by two six-dimensional vectors and is finally fixed by the separability of the tripartite system. The separability between the ancilla and Alice and Bob's system mitigates the enemy's eavesdropping, leading to tolerating higher excess noise and achieving longer transmission distance.

FBG-Based Weak Coherent State and Entanglement-Assisted Multidimensional QKD

In this paper, we propose several fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) based on both weak coherent state (WCS) and entanglement-assisted (EA) multidimensional QKD (MQKD) protocols with mutually unbiased bases (MUBs) derived from the complex Hadamard matrices. We also propose how to implement them by using FBGs with orthogonal impulse responses, derived from Slepian sequences. The proposed FBG-based protocols are capable of simultaneously achieving unprecedented spectral efficiency and secret-key rates in long-distance quantum communication. Regarding the WCS protocols, random base selection and FGB-MUB-based protocols are introduced. Regarding EA protocols, we introduce a generic class of FBG-based N-dimensional protocols and describe the corresponding FBG-based encoders and decoders. The security analysis of the proposed MQKD protocols is further performed by taking into account FBG fabrication imperfections, modeled by the L-neighbor model. It has been shown that the proposed MQKD protocols significantly outperform the conventional two-dimensional QKD protocols, and impose less stringent bandwidth requirements compared to multidimensional time-frequency and time-bin protocols.

Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution with Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Modulation

We demonstrate a multicarrier QKD protocol for continuous-variables (CV) using the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technique which was employed in frequency domain. The multicarrier communication formulates sub-channels from OFDM technique and physical quantum channel, each dedicated to the transmission of a subcarrier CV. In the OFDM-CVQKD scenario, the input quantum states of the legal parties are granulated into subcarrier CVs, at the receiver, the subcarriers are decoded by an unitary CV operation, which results in the recovered single-carrier CVs. Compared with the device of the multichannel parallel CVQKD protocol that utilizes N arrayed-waveguide gratings (AWG) in optical domain, this protocol shows better feasibility of implementation from both equipment and technique. We derive the formulas of the secret key rate, moreover, analyze the security in the finite-size through the OFDM-CVQKD scheme. Simulation results indicate that the OFDM-CVQKD scheme leads to improved secret key rates and higher tolerable excess noise in comparison to single-carrier CVQKD. Particularly, the secret key rate of the 64 subcarrier CVQKD has increased by roughly an order of magnitude of the single-channel CVQKD, whereas the tolerable excess noise can be controlled in a small range. The results reveal that the OFDM-CVQKD protocol provides a feasible framework for the experimental implementation of an unconditionally secure communication over standard telecommunication networks.