Device-independent quantum key distribution allows for proving the security of a shared cryptographic key between two distant parties with potentially untrusted devices. The security proof is based on the measurement outcome statistics (correlation) of a Bell experiment, and security is guaranteed by the laws of quantum theory. While it is known that the observed correlation must be Bell nonlocal in order to prove security, recent results show that Bell nonlocality is in general not sufficient for standard device-independent quantum key distribution. In this work, we show that conversely, there is no lower bound on the amount of nonlocality that is sufficient for device-independent quantum key distribution. Even more so, we show that from certain correlations that exhibit arbitrarily small nonlocality, one can still extract unbounded device-independent key rates. Therefore, a quantitative relation between device-independent key rates and Bell nonlocality cannot be drawn in general. Our main technique comprises a rigorous connection between self-testing and device-independent quantum key distribution, applied to a recently discovered family of Bell inequalities with arbitrarily many measurement outcomes.
Device-independent quantum key distribution allows for proving the security of a shared cryptographic key between two distant parties with potentially untrusted devices. The security proof is based on the measurement outcome statistics (correlation) of a Bell experiment, and security is guaranteed by the laws of quantum theory. While it is known that the observed correlation must be Bell nonlocal in order to prove security, recent results show that Bell nonlocality is in general not sufficient for standard device-independent quantum key distribution. In this work, we show that conversely, there is no lower bound on the amount of nonlocality that is sufficient for device-independent quantum key distribution. Even more so, we show that from certain correlations that exhibit arbitrarily small nonlocality, one can still extract unbounded device-independent key rates. Therefore, a quantitative relation between device-independent key rates and Bell nonlocality cannot be drawn in general. Our main technique comprises a rigorous connection between self-testing and device-independent quantum key distribution, applied to a recently discovered family of Bell inequalities with arbitrarily many measurement outcomes.
Device-independent quantum key distribution allows two users to set up shared cryptographic key without the need to trust the quantum devices used. Doing so requires nonlocal correlations between the users. However, in Farkas et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 050503 (2021)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.127.050503] it was shown that for known protocols nonlocality is not always sufficient, leading to the question of whether there is a fundamental lower bound on the minimum amount of nonlocality needed for any device-independent quantum key distribution implementation. Here, we show that no such bound exists, giving schemes that achieve key with correlations arbitrarily close to the local set. Furthermore, some of our constructions achieve the maximum of 1 bit of key per pair of entangled qubits. We achieve this by studying a family of Bell inequalities that constitute all self-tests of the maximally entangled state with a single linear Bell expression. Within this family there exist nonlocal correlations with the property that one pair of inputs yield outputs arbitrarily close to perfect key. Such correlations exist for a range of Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt values, including those arbitrarily close to the classical bound. Finally, we show the existence of quantum correlations that can generate both perfect key and perfect randomness simultaneously, while also displaying arbitrarily small Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt violation. This opens up the possibility of a new class of cryptographic protocol.
Recently, Wooltorton et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 210802 (2024)] and Farkas [Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 210803 (2024)] have exhibited the mismatch between Bell inequality violations and their cryptographic application in device-independent quantum key distribution, by showing that arbitrarily close to the set of local behaviours there exist quantum correlations guaranteeing a constant rate of secret key. While these results require correlations attaining the maximum quantum value of a suitable Bell observable (aka the Tsirelson bound) and rely on a kind of ideal self-testing of a maximally entangled state and associated Bell measurement, here we show that the effect is robust: for every one of the Bell inequalities considered by Wooltorton \emph{et al.}, a constant rate of secret key ensues if the observed Bell violation is sufficiently close to the respective Tsirelson bound. For these and also the Bell inequalities of Farkas, we furthermore present numerical results based on semidefinite relaxations of the minimum min-entropy consistent with a certain Bell violation, which demonstrate that small but nonzero key rates can be guaranteed (in principle) by practical and efficient means.
One of the main challenges in device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) is achieving the required Bell violation over long distances, as the channel losses result in low overall detection efficiencies. Recent works have explored the concept of certifying nonlocal correlations over extended distances through the use of a local Bell test. Here, an additional quantum device is placed in close proximity to one party, using short-distance correlations to verify nonlocal behavior at long distances. However, existing works have either not resolved the question of DIQKD security against active attackers in this setup, or used methods that do not yield tight bounds on the key rates. In this work, we introduce a general formulation of the key rate computation task in this setup that can be combined with recently developed methods for analyzing standard DIQKD. Using this method, we show that if the short-distance devices exhibit sufficiently high detection efficiencies, positive key rates can be achieved in the long-distance branch with lower detection efficiencies as compared to standard DIQKD setups. This highlights the potential for improved performance of DIQKD over extended distances in scenarios where short-distance correlations are leveraged to validate quantum correlations.
Quantum theory admits correlations between distant parties that are stronger than those permitted by classical physics. Such correlations, which are termed nonlocal, have been studied extensively since their discovery by John Bell in 1964. This thesis makes progress on various aspects of quantum nonlocality both from a foundational and practical perspective. We begin by studying a foundational question on the relationship between nonlocality and quantum entanglement. We show that the strongest form of nonlocality, also called pseudo-telepathy or full nonlocality, can be demonstrated by non-maximally entangled states and prove that all pure entangled states can demonstrate full nonlocality in the many-copy scenario. We also provide non-trivial examples of fully nonlocal mixed states. We then turn to the study of another phenomenon in quantum theory which is essential in almost all demonstrations of non-classicality—measurement incompatibility. We generalise the notion of measurement incompatibility and show that our notion has strong operational relevance: it captures the randomness in the outcomes of an untrusted measurement device against a classical adversary. We use our formalism to derive new bounds on the experimental losses and noise that can be tolerated in quantum communication protocols before they become insecure. We then begin a systematic study of routed Bell experiments, a variant of standard Bell experiments that was introduced to demonstrate nonlocality over long distances in the presence of losses and noise. We formalize the notion of genuine long-range quantum correlations in routed Bell experiments and develop numerical and analytical tools to characterize them. We show that routed Bell experiments allow for the demonstration of long-range quantum correlations at arbitrarily large distances using only entangled qubit states. We then prove the security of fully device-independent (DI) quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols based on routed Bell tests and quantify the resulting improvement in key rate and distance compared to standard DI QKD protocols.
Bell nonlocality is the experimentally testable incompatibility between quantum correlations and explanations based on local hidden variables. Its significance now extends beyond the foundations of quantum mechanics: a Bell-inequality violation can certify entanglement, randomness, measurement incompatibility, and cryptographic security without requiring a detailed model of the devices producing the observed data. This article develops the mathematical structure of Bell experiments and explains its role in device-independent quantum information. Conditional probability distributions are classified into local, quantum, and no-signalling sets; the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality is derived, and its classical, quantum, and algebraic limits are distinguished. Tsirelson’s bound is obtained from the CHSH operator, while Popescu-Rohrlich correlations demonstrate that no-signalling alone does not identify the quantum set. The relation between entanglement and nonlocality is examined through local entangled states, hidden nonlocality, and activation. Nonlocal games, semidefinite relaxations, self-testing, certified randomness, and device-independent quantum key distribution are treated as operational consequences of Bell violation. Particular attention is given to entropy accumulation, finite-data security, loophole-free experiments, and the limitations of device independence. Bell nonlocality emerges as both a foundational separation between classical and quantum causal models and a quantitative resource for cryptographic and informational tasks.
Abstract Device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) enables the generation of secret keys over an untrusted channel using uncharacterized and potentially untrusted devices 1–9 . The proper and secure functioning of the devices can be certified by a statistical test using a Bell inequality 10–12 . This test originates from the foundations of quantum physics and also ensures robustness against implementation loopholes 13 , thereby leaving only the integrity of the users’ locations to be guaranteed by other means. The realization of DIQKD, however, is extremely challenging—mainly because it is difficult to establish high-quality entangled states between two remote locations with high detection efficiency. Here we present an experimental system that enables for DIQKD between two distant users. The experiment is based on the generation and analysis of event-ready entanglement between two independently trapped single rubidium atoms located in buildings 400 metre apart 14 . By achieving an entanglement fidelity of F≥0.892(23) ℱ ≥ 0.892 ( 23 ) and implementing a DIQKD protocol with random key basis 15 , we observe a significant violation of a Bell inequality of S = 2.578(75)—above the classical limit of 2—and a quantum bit error rate of only 0.078(9). For the protocol, this results in a secret key rate of 0.07 bits per entanglement generation event in the asymptotic limit, and thus demonstrates the system’s capability to generate secret keys. Our results of secure key exchange with potentially untrusted devices pave the way to the ultimate form of quantum secure communications in future quantum networks.