Recently, Takeoka, Guha and Wilde have established a new (loose) upper bound on the secret key capacity of a pure-loss bosonic channel that is several times larger than an error-free BB84 QKD channel with same transmittance. This suggests that new QKD protocols may exist with higher secret key rates and effective ranges larger than the metro-area limits of BB84 QKD over optical fiber. In this paper we illustrate such a possibility with a new protocol called Amplified Quantum Key Distribution (AQKD), which will be compatible with the optical amplification typically encountered on inter-city fiber spans. We analyze one instantiation of AQKD, in which the transmitter enclave contains an optical amplifier (OA), with security against passive optical tapping. For this scenario AQKD is shown to: give three times the secret key rate of BB84 at spans up to 100km, increasing to more than a ten-fold gain at 140km; and double the maximum single-span optical fiber transmission range to inter-city distances (300km). Essential to these performance gains is a new information-theoretic protocol post-processing stage called generalized advantage distillation (GAD). AQKD could be implemented with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware as an augmentation of present-day BB84 QKD. AQKD avoids the expense, complexity and resource duplication of "trusted relay" approaches to QKD range extension. We expect AQKD to be compatible with fiber spans containing intermediate OAs, which will facilitate its deployment as an overlay on existing fiber networks.
Recently, Takeoka, Guha and Wilde have established a new (loose) upper bound on the secret key capacity of a pure-loss bosonic channel that is several times larger than an error-free BB84 QKD channel with same transmittance. This suggests that new QKD protocols may exist with higher secret key rates and effective ranges larger than the metro-area limits of BB84 QKD over optical fiber. In this paper we illustrate such a possibility with a new protocol called Amplified Quantum Key Distribution (AQKD), which will be compatible with the optical amplification typically encountered on inter-city fiber spans. We analyze one instantiation of AQKD, in which the transmitter enclave contains an optical amplifier (OA), with security against passive optical tapping. For this scenario AQKD is shown to: give three times the secret key rate of BB84 at spans up to 100km, increasing to more than a ten-fold gain at 140km; and double the maximum single-span optical fiber transmission range to inter-city distances (300km). Essential to these performance gains is a new information-theoretic protocol post-processing stage called generalized advantage distillation (GAD). AQKD could be implemented with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware as an augmentation of present-day BB84 QKD. AQKD avoids the expense, complexity and resource duplication of "trusted relay" approaches to QKD range extension. We expect AQKD to be compatible with fiber spans containing intermediate OAs, which will facilitate its deployment as an overlay on existing fiber networks.
Abstract Quantum key distribution (QKD) has established itself as a groundbreaking technology, showcasing inherent security features that are fundamentally proven. Qubit-based QKD protocols that rely on binary encoding encounter an inherent constraint related to the secret key capacity. This limitation restricts the maximum secret key capacity to one bit per photon. On the other hand, qudit-based QKD protocols have their advantages in scenarios where photons are scarce and noise is present, as they enable the transmission of more than one secret bit per photon. While proof-of-principle entangled-based qudit QKD systems have been successfully demonstrated over the years, the current limitation lies in the maximum distribution distance, which remains at 20 km fiber distance. Moreover, in these entangled high-dimensional QKD systems, the witness and distribution of quantum steering have not been shown before. Here we present a high-dimensional time-bin QKD protocol based on energy-time entanglement that generates a secure finite-length key capacity of 2.39 bit/coincidences and secure cryptographic finite-length keys at 0.24 Mbits s −1 in a 50 km optical fiber link. Our system is built entirely using readily available commercial off-the-shelf components, and secured by nonlocal dispersion cancellation technique against collective Gaussian attacks. Furthermore, we set new records for witnessing both energy-time entanglement and quantum steering over different fiber distances. When operating with a quantum channel loss of 39 dB, our system retains its inherent characteristic of utilizing large-alphabet. This enables us to achieve a secure key rate of 0.30 kbits s −1 and a secure key capacity of 1.10 bit/coincidences, considering finite-key effects. Our experimental results closely match the theoretical upper bound limit of secure cryptographic keys in high-dimensional time-bin QKD protocols (Mower et al 2013 Phys. Rev. A 87 062322; Zhang et al 2014 Phys. Rev. Lett. 112 120506), and outperform recent state-of-the-art qubit-based QKD protocols in terms of secure key throughput using commercial single-photon detectors (Wengerowsky et al 2019 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. 116 6684; Wengerowsky et al 2020 npj Quantum Inf. 6 5; Zhang et al 2014 Phys. Rev. Lett. 112 120506; Zhang et al 2019 Nat. Photon. 13 839; Liu et al 2019 Phys. Rev. Lett. 122 160501; Zhang et al 2020 Phys. Rev. Lett. 125 010502; Wei et al 2020 Phys. Rev. X 10 031030). The simple and robust entanglement-based high-dimensional time-bin protocol presented here provides potential for practical long-distance quantum steering and QKD with multiple secure bits-per-coincidence, and higher secure cryptographic keys compared to mature qubit-based QKD protocols.
Based on the basic principles of quantum mechanics, quantum key distribution (QKD) provides unconditional security for long-distance communication. However, existing QKD with relevant source protocols have limited tolerance for source correlation, which greatly reduces the key generation rate and limits the secure transmission distance, thereby limiting their practical deployment. In this work, we propose an improved QKD with correlated source protocol to overcome these limitations by discarding the traditional loss-tolerant security frameworks. Our approach adopts the standard BB84 protocol for the security analysis, under the assumption that the source correlation has a bounded range and characterized inner product of the states. We theoretically analyze the performance of the improved protocol at different levels of source correlation and channel loss. Numerical simulations show that our protocol achieves a much higher secret key rate and longer transmission distance than traditional schemes. In the case of typical parameters and 0 dB loss, our protocol achieves about 1.5–3 times improvement in secret key rate. Additionally, the maximum tolerable loss is enhanced by about 2–6 dB. This highlights a promising direction for enhancing the robustness and practicality of QKD with correlated sources systems, paving the way for their deployment in real-world quantum communication networks.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) constitutes one of the most profound practical applications of quantum mechanics, enabling two parties to exchange cryptographic keys whose security is guaranteed by the fundamental laws of physics rather than the assumed computational hardness of mathematical problems. As quantum computing capabilities continue to advance, classical public-key infrastructure faces an existential threat, rendering QKD a critical component of post-quantum secure communication architectures. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of QKD spanning foundational protocols, rigorous security proofs, hardware implementation challenges, deployment experiences across metropolitan fiber networks, and recent satellite-based experiments. We analyze the BB84, E91, B92, SARG04, continuous-variable, measurement-device-independent (MDI-QKD), and twin-field (TF-QKD) protocols in depth, examining their security assumptions, achievable key rates, and practical limitations. Particular attention is given to side-channel vulnerabilities in realistic implementations, decoy-state methods for mitigating photon-number-splitting attacks, and finite-key security analysis. We review key performance benchmarks from commercial systems and discuss integration with classical network infrastructure. The paper concludes by identifying open challenges in quantum repeater development, satellite QKD scalability, and standardization efforts essential for large-scale deployment.
The access network portion of a telecommunications system in the last years demands ever-increasing bandwidth to serve not only residential and commercial customers but also other telecommunications operators, as is the case with back-haul in mobile infrastructure.To achieve this, technologies using fiber optics as a transmission medium are being developed.Passive Optical Network (PON) protocols such as ITU-T G.9804.1 provides new schemes of multiplexing that improve higher speed offered both in the downstream channel (operator to user) and in the upstream channel (user to operator).In some cases a symmetrical optical link is required to support new services, applications and terminals from users side because their profiles and demands has changed in the last decade with new challenges to maintain network parameters within the established contracted values.On the other hand, information security has also been a topic of interest in recent years, so quantum cryptography offers an alternative to increase robustness compared to the mechanisms available in electronic systems that could be vulnerable to the development of quantum computing.Although quantum cryptography protocols were defined in the last century, their application is of interest today, as they can exploit the properties of photons to make it more difficult for an intruder to obtain the private key of an information system that uses optical fiber as a transmission medium.This work shows the computational application of the BB84 quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol on an operating model of a 50G passive optical network, demonstrating both the cryptography performance and network quality parameters such as the bit error rate (BER) and the eye diagram.
The increasing reliance on optical communication networks for high-speed data transmission has amplified concerns regarding secure information exchange in the era of quantum computing. Classical cryptographic protocols such as RSA and ECC, though widely deployed, are vulnerable to attacks from large-scale quantum computers executing Shor�s algorithm. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) has emerged as a revolutionary cryptographic paradigm that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to enable theoretically unbreakable key exchange. This paper investigates the integration of QKD into optical communication networks, focusing on protocol design, implementation challenges, and potential scalability. Through scenario-based evaluation, the study highlights the trade-offs between quantum security and practical deployment constraints such as channel loss, photon detector efficiency, and key generation rates. Results from simulated models demonstrate that while QKD can achieve provable security in metropolitan-area networks, long-distance transmission requires advanced techniques such as quantum repeaters and trusted nodes. This work concludes that QKD offers a promising pathway toward quantum-safe communication but necessitates advancements in hardware, standardization, and hybrid cryptographic strategies for widespread adoption.
As the limitations of classical cryptographic systems become increasingly evident in the face of advancing quantum algorithms, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) emerges as a vital paradigm for securing information in next-generation networks. This paper explores the theoretical foundations and protocol architectures underpinning QKD, including BB84, E91, and newer hybrid approaches designed for scalable integration into existing infrastructures. Performance metrics such as key generation rate, error thresholds, and resistance to various attack models are critically examined across both fiber-optic and free-space implementations. Furthermore, the study delves into real-world deployment challenges—ranging from synchronization errors and quantum channel noise to cost-efficiency and interoperability with classical systems. By offering a comparative analysis and proposing optimization strategies, this work aims to pave the way for robust quantum-secure communication protocols suited for large-scale, heterogeneous network environments.