Abstract Mode-pairing quantum key distribution (MP-QKD) is a potential protocol that is not only immune to all possible detector side channel attacks, but also breaks the repeaterless rate-transmittance bound without needing global phase locking. Here we analyze the finite-key effect for the MP-QKD protocol with rigorous security proof against general attacks. Moreover, we propose a six-state MP-QKD protocol and analyze its finite-key effect. The results show that the original protocol can break the repeaterless rate-transmittance bound with a typical finite number of pulses in practice. And our six-state protocol can improve the secret key rate significantly in long distance cases.
Abstract Mode-pairing quantum key distribution (MP-QKD) is a potential protocol that is not only immune to all possible detector side channel attacks, but also breaks the repeaterless rate-transmittance bound without needing global phase locking. Here we analyze the finite-key effect for the MP-QKD protocol with rigorous security proof against general attacks. Moreover, we propose a six-state MP-QKD protocol and analyze its finite-key effect. The results show that the original protocol can break the repeaterless rate-transmittance bound with a typical finite number of pulses in practice. And our six-state protocol can improve the secret key rate significantly in long distance cases.
Mode-pairing quantum key distribution (MP-QKD) can surpass the repeaterless rate-transmittance bound (Pirandola-Laurenza-Ottaviani-Banchi bound) without requiring global phase locking, exhibiting remarkable flexibility. However, MP-QKD necessitates equal communication distances in two channels, which is a challenging requirement in practical applications. To address this limitation, we extend the original MP-QKD to asymmetric cases. Our decoy-state estimation confirms that asymmetric channel transmittances and asymmetric intensities do not compromise the security of the protocol. We focus on the pulse-intensity relationship, a key factor for optimizing the performance of asymmetric MP-QKD. Unlike previous asymmetric protocols, the intensities of different bases in asymmetric MP-QKD cannot be decoupled. We introduce an optimal-pulse-intensity method, adaptable to various scenarios, to enhance key rates by calculating ideal pulse intensities. Simulation results in various representative scenarios indicate that our method effectively reduces the impact of asymmetric channel distances on MP-QKD performance, enhancing its practical applicability.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) provides information-theoretic security for communication. The mode-pairing (MP) protocol emerges as a promising solution for long-distance QKD by eliminating the need for a global phase reference while maintaining the repeaterlike rate-loss scaling. Recent implementations have demonstrated its potential, but they either rely on costly ultrastable lasers or struggle with phase fluctuations from commercial lasers, particularly over long distances. As a result, surpassing the repeaterless bound with a practical system remains a challenge. In this work, we demonstrate a practical high-performance MP-QKD system using commercial lasers. To address phase fluctuations, we propose a frequency-tracking scheme based on fast Fourier transformation, enabling us to extend the pairing length to 2 × 10 5 pulses ( 160 μ s ). We propose a model to carefully analyze the phase noise and optimize the system parameters. Our system achieves an optimal secret key rate of 47.8 bit / s over 403 km of standard fiber (76.5 dB loss), exceeding the repeaterless bound by a factor of 2.92. Furthermore, we compare MP-QKD and twin-field QKD under various practical conditions and clarify the distinct application scenarios of the two protocols. These results confirm the feasibility of MP-QKD using cost-effective commercial technologies, paving the way for scalable quantum communication networks.
Mode-pairing quantum key distribution (MP-QKD) protocol achieves performance beyond the repeaterless rate-transmittance bound and exhibits excellent practicality by avoiding the requirement for difficult global phase locking. However, the source side of MP-QKD still relies on the assumption of continuous phase randomization, an experimentally infeasible requirement in practice. Therefore, the practical security of the protocol cannot be fully guaranteed. In this work, we propose a discrete-phase-randomized mode-pairing quantum key distribution (DPR-MP-QKD) protocol and analyze the basis-dependence of the source side. Then, we introduce a concrete discrete version of the decoy state method that ensures the security of the DPR-MP-QKD protocol. Finally, simulation results indicate that as the number of discrete phases increases, the key rate performance of DPR-MP-QKD progressively approaches that of the continuous case, with convergence achieved at approximately 14 discrete phases. Moreover, our approach drastically lowers the demand for randomness. While conventional continuous phase randomization demands an unlimited supply of random bits, we show that merely a few bits (e.g., 4) are adequate.
Mode-pairing quantum key distribution (MP-QKD) is a promising protocol immune to detector side-channel attacks and capable of breaking the repeaterless PLOB bound without global phase locking. Existing MP-QKD protocols employ weak coherent sources (WCSs) with a low probability of single-photon emission, hindering MP-QKD's performance improvement. We propose a new, to the best of our knowledge, MP-QKD protocol using the heralded single-photon source (HSPS) to significantly reduce the vacuum emission probability and increase the single-photon emission rate. Compared with the original WCS-MP-QKD protocol, this protocol has three advantages. First, its maximum transmission distance is extended from 488 km to 560 km. Second, the key rates at 100, 200, 300, and 400 km are 4.4 to 7.4 times those of the original protocol. Third, it does not change the original architecture of MP-QKD and is easy to implement experimentally. This HSPS-MP-QKD protocol has application potential in future metropolitan area QKD networks.
The mode pairing quantum key distribution (MP-QKD) protocol has attracted considerable attention for its capability to ensure high secure key rates over long distances without requiring global phase locking. However, ensuring symmetric channels for the MP-QKD protocol is challenging in practical quantum communication networks. Previous studies on the asymmetric MP-QKD protocol have relied on ideal decoy state assumptions and infinite-key analysis, which are unattainable for real-world deployment. In this paper, we conduct a security analysis of the asymmetric MP-QKD protocol with the finite-key analysis, where we discard the previously impractical assumptions made in the decoy state method. Combined with statistical fluctuation analysis, we globally optimized the 10 independent parameters in the asymmetric MP-QKD protocol by employing our modified particle swarm optimization. Through further analysis, the simulation results demonstrate that our work achieves improved secure key rates and transmission distances compared to the strategy with additional attenuation. We further investigate the relationship between the intensities and probabilities of signal, decoy, and vacuum states with transmission distance, facilitating their more efficient deployment in future quantum networks.
Mode-pairing quantum key distribution (MP-QKD) circumvents the need for phase locking through post-selection pairing, still allowing it to surpass the repeaterless rate-transmittance limit. This protocol, therefore, presents a promising approach for practical QKD implementation. Without phase locking and tracking, the performance of the laser, channel, and detector critically affects the determination of the maximum pairing length l in pairing strategies. However, previous studies have typically set l based on empirical data without conducting a thorough analysis. In this study, to more accurately reflect real-world conditions, we consider fiber fluctuations, laser linewidth, laser frequency offset, and after-pulse effect to quantify the systematic misalignment determined by l . We employ the three-intensity decoy-state method, accounting for the finite data-size effect, to evaluate the impact of l in practical scenarios. Our simulation results demonstrate significant enhancements achievable through the optimal selection of l . Therefore, this study provides valuable insights for the advancement of future MP-QKD experiments and applications.