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Kluwer Academic Publishers eBooks

Free-Space Quantum Cryptography

Richard Hughes, W. T. Buttler, Paul G. Kwiat, S. K. Lamoreaux, George L. Morgan, J. E. Nordholt, Charles G. Peterson

Published Dec 19, 2005• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

An experimental free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) system has been tested over an outdoor optical path of ~ 1 km under nighttime conditions at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This system employs the Bennett 92 protocol; here we give a brief overview of this protocol, and describe our experimental implementation of it. An analysis of the system efficiency is presented, as well as a description of our error detection protocol, which employs a two-dimensional parity check scheme. Finally, the susceptibility of this system to eavesdropping by various techniques is determined. Possible applications include the rekeying of satellites in low earth orbit. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

DOI
10.1007/0-306-47097-7_49

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An experimental free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) system has been tested over an outdoor optical path of {approx} 1 km under nighttime conditions at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This system employs the Bennett 92 protocol; here the authors give a brief overview of this protocol, and describe the experimental implementation of it. An analysis of the system efficiency is presented, as well as a description of the error detection protocol, which employs a two-dimensional parity check scheme. Finally, the susceptibility of this system to eavesdropping by various techniques is determined, and the effectiveness of privacy amplification procedures is discussed. The conclusions are that free-space QKD is both effective and secure; possible applications include the rekeying of satellites in low earth orbit.
An experimental free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) system has been tested over an outdoor optical path of approximately 1 km under nighttime conditions at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This system employs the Bennett 92 protocol; here we give a brief overview of this protocol, and describe our experimental implementation of it. An analysis of the system efficiency is presented as well as a description of our error detection protocol, which employs a 2D parity check scheme. Finally, the susceptibility of this system to eavesdropping by various techniques is determined, and the effectiveness of privacy amplification procedures is discussed. Our conclusions are that free-space QKD is both effective and secure; possible applications include the rekeying of satellites in low earth orbit.
Free-space quantum key distribution (QKD), more popularly know as quantum cryptography, uses single-photon free-space optical communications to distribute the secret keys required for secure communications. At Los Alamos National Laboratory we have demonstrated a fully automated system that is capable of operations at any time of day over a horizontal range of several kilometers. This has proven the technology is capable of operation from a spacecraft to the ground, opening up the possibility of QKD between any group of users anywhere on Earth. This system, the prototyping of a new system for use on a spacecraft, and the techniques required for world-wide quantum key distribution will be described. The operational parameters and performance of a system designed to operate between low earth orbit (LEO) and the ground will also be discussed.
The secure distribution of the secret random bit sequences known as 'key' material, is an essential precursor to their use for the encryption and decryption of confidential communications. Quantum cryptography is a new technique for secure key distribution with single-photon transmissions: Heisenberg's uncertainty principle ensures that an adversary can neither successfully tap the key transmissions, nor evade detection (eavesdropping raises the key error rate above a threshold value). We have developed experimental quantum cryptography systems based on the transmission of non- orthogonal photon polarization states to generate shared key material over line-of-sight optical links. Key material is built up using the transmission of a single-photon per bit of an initial secret random sequence. A quantum-mechanically random subset of this sequence is identified, becoming the key material after a data reconciliation stage with the sender. We have developed and tested a free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) system over an outdoor optical path of approximately 1 km at Los Alamos National Laboratory under nighttime conditions. Results show that free-space QKD can provide secure real-time key distribution between parties who have a need to communicate secretly. Finally, we examine the feasibility of surface to satellite QKD.