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Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE

Gigahertz quantum cryptography

Gerald S. Buller, Robert John Collins, Patrick J. Clarke, Paul D. Townsend

Published Dec 26, 2010• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

This paper describes progress in gigahertz-clocked quantum key distribution systems. It details current advances in both point-to-point and network applications. We will discuss possibilities for practical quantum key distribution using single-photon sources, and discuss the experimental system performance of GHz-clocked quantum key distribution systems focusing on issues of quantum bit error rate, net bit rate and transmission distance with different detector structures, concentrating on single-photon avalanche diode detectors, but also examining superconducting nanowire-based structures. The quantum key distribution system is designed to be environmentally robust and an examination of long-term system operation will be presented.

DOI
10.1117/12.888242

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In recent years quantum information research has lead to the discovery of a number of remarkable new paradigms for information processing and communication. These developments include quantum cryptography schemes that offer unconditionally secure information transport guaranteed by quantum-mechanical laws. Such potentially disruptive security technologies could be of high strategic and economic value in the future. Two major issues confronting researchers in this field are the transmission range (typically <100km) and the key exchange rate, which can be as low as a few bits per second at long optical fiber distances. This paper describes further research of an approach to significantly enhance the key exchange rate in an optical fiber system at distances in the range of 1-20km. We will present results on a number of application scenarios, including point-to-point links and multi-user networks. Quantum key distribution systems have been developed, which use standard telecommunications optical fiber, and which are capable of operating at clock rates of up to 2GHz. They implement a polarization-encoded version of the B92 protocol and employ vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with emission wavelengths of 850 nm as weak coherent light sources, as well as silicon single-photon avalanche diodes as the single photon detectors. The point-to-point quantum key distribution system exhibited a quantum bit error rate of 1.4%, and an estimated net bit rate greater than 100,000 bits-1 for a 4.2 km transmission range.
Single-photon detectors play an increasing role in emerging application areas in quantum communication and low-light level depth imaging. The single-photon detector characteristics have a telling impact in system performance, and this presentation will examine the role of single-photon detectors in these important application areas. We will discuss the experimental system performance of GHz-clocked quantum key distribution systems focusing on issues of quantum bit error rate, net bit rate and transmission distance with different detector structures, concentrating on single-photon avalanche diode detectors, but also examining superconducting nanowire-based structures. The quantum key distribution system is designed to be environmentally robust and an examination of long-term system operation will be presented. The role of detector performance in photon-counting time-of-flight three-dimensional imaging will also be discussed. We will describe an existing experimental test bed system designed for kilometer ranging, and recent experimental results from field trials. The presentation will investigate the key trade-offs in data acquisition time, optical power levels and maximum range. In both examples, experimental demonstrations will be presented to explore future perspectives and design goals.
We present a detailed analysis of a gigahertz clock rate environmentally robust phase-encoded quantum key distribution (QKD) system utilizing several different single-photon detectors, including the first implementation of an experimental resonant cavity thin-junction silicon single-photon avalanche diode. The system operates at a wavelength of 850 nm using standard telecommunications optical fibre. A general-purpose theoretical model for the performance of QKD systems is presented with reference to these experimental results before predictions are made about realistic detector developments in this system. We discuss, with reference to the theoretical model, how detector operating parameters can be further optimized to maximize key exchange rates.