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arXiv:2607.08709

Robust One-Sided Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution via High-Dimensional Steering

Monika Mothsara, Suraj Goel, Bohnishikha Ghosh, Vatshal Srivastav, Will McCutcheon, Mehul Malik, Gláucia Murta

quant-phSubmitted Jul 9, 2026• Announced Jul 10, 2026• 0 citations
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Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) brings the promise of communication with information-theoretic security but is limited in practice due to its susceptibility to noise, losses, and device imperfections. To address these challenges, we propose a robust high-dimensional (HD) one-sided device-independent QKD (1sDI-QKD) protocol and present a proof-of-principle experimental implementation using photons entangled in the transverse-spatial degree-of-freedom. We develop a systematic security analysis of HD 1sDI-QKD protocols, leveraging quantum steering to certify security, and evaluate achievable secret key rates for different measurement configurations and system dimensions using reverse reconciliation. Our analysis shows that increasing the dimension enhances robustness against both noise and loss. We then demonstrate the key experimental building blocks required for implementing the protocol: (a) a high-quality source of high-dimensional photonic entanglement, and (b) a fully programmable, high-dimensional multi-outcome measurement device operating in up to dimension 11. Using these components, we obtain positive key rates for all investigated dimensions under the fair-sampling assumption, with the highest key rates achieved for dimension d=7. Finally, we discuss the steps required for a practical, loophole-free implementation of 1sDI-QKD in realistic regimes of loss and noise.

Comments
15+10 pages, 15 figures, 7 tables

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Quantum key distribution (QKD) brings the promise of communication with information-theoretic security but is limited in practice due to its susceptibility to noise, losses, and device imperfections. To address these challenges, we propose a robust high-dimensional (HD) one-sided device-independent QKD (1sDI-QKD) protocol and present a proof-of-principle experimental implementation using photons entangled in the transverse-spatial degree-of-freedom. We develop a systematic security analysis of HD 1sDI-QKD protocols, leveraging quantum steering to certify security, and evaluate achievable secret key rates for different measurement configurations and system dimensions using reverse reconciliation. Our analysis shows that increasing the dimension enhances robustness against both noise and loss. We then demonstrate the key experimental building blocks required for implementing the protocol: (a) a high-quality source of high-dimensional photonic entanglement, and (b) a fully programmable, high-dimensional multi-outcome measurement device operating in up to dimension 11. Using these components, we obtain positive key rates for all investigated dimensions under the fair-sampling assumption, with the highest key rates achieved for dimension d=7. Finally, we discuss the steps required for a practical, loophole-free implementation of 1sDI-QKD in realistic regimes of loss and noise.
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Genuine high-dimensional (HD) quantum steering was recently proposed for certifying HD entanglement in the one-sided device-independent setting, as quantified by the Schmidt number [ Phys. Rev. Lett. 126 , 200404 ( 2021 ) PRLTAO 0031-9007 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.200404 ]. As one of the central challenges in the steering test is the tolerated noise threshold, here we develop a more robust method for certifying genuine HD steering in noisy environments. We derive genuine HD steering criteria using multiple mutually unbiased bases, surpassing the previous restriction of only two measurement settings. Although the present multisetting criteria are not tight, we theoretically show that they are more robust to noise than the tight two-setting criteria. To test the practicality of our method under realistic conditions, we report an experimental demonstration using photonic orbital angular momentum entangled states in dimensions d = 3 , 4 , 5 . Our work offers a more robust way to witness the entanglement dimension in practical one-sided device-independent quantum information processing.
The security of quantum key distribution (QKD) usually relies on that the users' devices are well characterized according to the security models made in the security proofs. In contrast, device-independent QKD-an entanglement-based protocol-permits the security even without any knowledge of the underlying quantum devices. Despite its beauty in theory, device-independent QKD is elusive to realize with current technologies. Especially in photonic implementations, the requirements for detection efficiency are far beyond the performance of any reported device-independent experiments. In this Letter, we report a proof-of-principle experiment of device-independent QKD based on a photonic setup in the asymptotic limit. On the theoretical side, we enhance the loss tolerance for real device imperfections by combining different approaches, namely, random postselection, noisy preprocessing, and developed numerical methods to estimate the key rate via the von Neumann entropy. On the experimental side, we develop a high-quality polarization-entangled photon source achieving a state-of-the-art (heralded) detection efficiency about 87.5%. Although our experiment does not include random basis switching, the achieved efficiency outperforms previous photonic experiments involving loophole-free Bell tests. Together, we show that the measured quantum correlations are strong enough to ensure a positive key rate under the fiber length up to 220 m. Our photonic platform can generate entangled photons at a high rate and in the telecom wavelength, which is desirable for high-speed generation over long distances. The results present an important step toward a full demonstration of photonic device-independent QKD.
Abstract Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) can resist all possible attacks from practical measurement devices. High-dimensional (HD) MDI-QKD in multiple degrees of freedom (DOFs) can efficiently increase the key generation rate and has strong noise and error resistance. However, previous HD MDI-QKD protocols in multiple DOFs required complete hyperentangled Bell state analysis (HBSA), which cannot be realized under current experimental conditions and largely limits the practicality of the HD MDI-QKD. In this paper, we propose an HD MDI-QKD protocol in multiple DOFs which adopts a linear-optical HBSA. This adoption of the linear-optical HBSA makes our HD MDI-QKD feasible under current experimental technology. The key generation rate of our MDI-QKD protocol is about eight times of the original MDI-QKD protocol. Our HD MDI-QKD protocol may have potential applications in current and future quantum communication fields.
Practical implementations of quantum key distribution (QKD) extending beyond urban areas commonly use satellite links; however, the transmission of quantum states through the Earth’s atmosphere is highly susceptible to noise, restricting its application primarily to nighttime. High-dimensional (HD) QKD offers a promising solution to this limitation by employing high-dimensionally entangled quantum states. Although experimental platforms for HD QKD exist, previous security analyses have been limited to the asymptotic regime and have either relied on impractical measurements or employed computationally demanding convex optimization tasks, restricting the security analysis to low dimensions. In this work, we bridge this gap by presenting a composable finite-size security proof against both collective and coherent attacks for a general HD QKD protocol that uses only experimentally accessible measurements. In addition to the conventional yet impractical “one-shot” key rates, we provide a practical variable-length security argument that yields significantly higher expected key rates. This approach is particularly crucial under rapidly changing and turbulent atmospheric conditions, as encountered in free-space and satellite-based QKD platforms.