Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

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

Plug and Play quantum key distribution system using differential phase shift

Xiuliang Chen, Chunyuan Zhou, Guang Wu, Xianghe Li, Heping Zeng

Published May 7, 2004• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This report proposes a “Plug and Play” quantum key distribution system using differential phase shift, in which any birefringence effects and polarization-dependent losses in the telecom fiber are automatically compensated by using a Faraday mirror. In this system, a light pulse is split into three pulses after traveling through four couplers and a light intensity feedback servosystem is plugged into this system in order to adjust the phase shifter to compensate the variation of these three pulses. The efficiency of key creation in this system is 8/3 higher than the conventional cryptosystem based on the BB84 protocol.

DOI
10.1117/12.520250

Related papers

“Plug and play” quantum key distribution system with differential phase shift

Chunyuan Zhou, Guang Wu, Xiuliang Chen +1 more

We propose a “plug and play” scheme for the long-distance fiber-based cryptosystem based on the differential phase shift quantum key distribution, where any birefringence effects and polarization-dependent losses in the transmission fiber are automatically compensated by using a Faraday mirror. This system not only has stable performance but also creates keys 8/3 times more efficiently than the conventional cryptosystem based on the BB84 protocol.

Applied Physics Letters•Aug 29, 2003•18 citations

Plug and Play Systems for Quantum Cryptography

Songhao Liu

To compensate for all polarization fluctuations in the transmitting fiber by using Faraday mirror is discussed, and and- system based on Faraday mirror for quantum cryptography is introduced, phase-encoding analysis in brief for plug- and- play system is implemented. The interfering pulses follow exactly the same spatial path, ensuring very high stability and self-compensating. The use of Faraday mirrors compensates for automatically any birefringence effects and polarization dependent losses in the transmitting fiber.

Laser & Optoelectronics Progress•Jan 1, 2004•0 citations

Stable differential phase shift quantum key distribution with a key creation efficiency of 3/4

Xiuliang Chen, Chunyuan Zhou, Guang Wu +1 more

In this letter, we demonstrate that a high key creation efficiency can be achieved in a stable differential phase shift quantum key distribution system by using three cascaded Mach–Zehnder interferometers. A pulse is split into four independent pulses, and the bit information is carried by one of the three phase differences between the sequential pulses. Any birefringence effects and polarization-dependent losses in the long-distance fiber are automatically compensated with a Faraday mirror. Due to the neatly use of three cascaded interferometers, the key creation efficiency reaches 3/4.

Applied Physics Letters•Apr 1, 2004•6 citations

Auto-compensating differential phase shift quantum key distribution

Han Xiao-Hong, Guang Wu, Chunyuan Zhou +1 more

We propose an auto-compensating differential phase shift scheme for quantum key distribution with a high key-creation efficiency, which skillfully makes use of automatic alignment of the photon polarization states in optical fiber with modified Michelson interferometers composed of unequal arms with Faraday mirrors at the ends. The Faraday-mirrors-based Michelson interferometers not only function as pulse splitters, but also enable inherent compensation of polarization mode dispersion in the optic-fiber paths at both Alice's and Bob's sites. The sequential pulses encoded by differential phase shifts pass through the quantum channel with the same polarization states, resulting in a stable key distribution immune to the polarization mode dispersion in the quantum channel. Such a system features perfect stability and higher key creation efficiency over traditional schemes.

arXiv:quant-ph/0501025•Jan 6, 2005•0 citations

STABLE AND DETERMINISTIC QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION BASED ON DIFFERENTIAL PHASE SHIFT

Bao‐Kui Zhao, Yu‐Bo Sheng, Fu‐Guo Deng +2 more

We present a stable and deterministic quantum key distribution (QKD) system based on differential phase shift. With three cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometers with different arm-length differences for creating key, its key creation efficiency can be improved to be 7/8, more than other systems. Any birefringence effects and polarization-dependent losses in the long-distance fiber are automatically compensated with a Faraday mirror. Added an eavesdropping check, this system is more secure than some other phase-coding-based QKD systems. Moreover, the classical information exchanged is reduced largely and the modulation of phase shifts is simplified. All these features make this QKD system more convenient than others in a practical application.

arXiv:0801.0259•International Journal of Quantum Information•May 29, 2009•11 citations

"Plug and play" systems for quantum cryptography

A. Muller, T. Herzog, B. Huttner +3 more

We present a time-multiplexed interferometer based on Faraday mirrors, and apply it to quantum key distribution. The interfering pulses follow exactly the same spatial path, ensuring very high stability and self balancing. Use of Faraday mirrors compensates automatically any birefringence effects and polarization dependent losses in the transmitting fiber. First experimental results show a fringe visibility of 0.9984 for a 23km-long interferometer, based on installed telecom fibers. In so-called private-key cryptographic systems, secure transmission through unprotected channels rely on the exchange of secret keys, known only to the sender, Alice, and the receiver, Bob. Quantum cryptography (QC) relies on the properties of quantum mechanics to obtain a provably secure key distribution [1, 2, 3, 4]. Most exisiting implementations rely on either the polarization [2, 5, 6] or the phase [7, 8, 9, 10] of very weak pulses of light as information carrier. To date, the longest transmission spans were obtained in optical fibers, at a wavelength of 1300 nm [6, 9, 10]. The main difficulty with polarization-based systems is the need to keep stable polarizations over distances of tens of kilometers, in standard telecom cables. Indeed, due to the birefringence of the fibers and the effect of the environment, the output polarization fluctuates randomly. Recent experiments [6]

•Nov 25, 1996•292 citations
This report proposes a “Plug and Play” quantum key distribution system using differential phase shift, in which any birefringence effects and polarization-dependent losses in the telecom fiber are automatically compensated by using a Faraday mirror. In this system, a light pulse is split into three pulses after traveling through four couplers and a light intensity feedback servosystem is plugged into this system in order to adjust the phase shifter to compensate the variation of these three pulses. The efficiency of key creation in this system is 8/3 higher than the conventional cryptosystem based on the BB84 protocol.
To compensate for all polarization fluctuations in the transmitting fiber by using Faraday mirror is discussed, and and- system based on Faraday mirror for quantum cryptography is introduced, phase-encoding analysis in brief for plug- and- play system is implemented. The interfering pulses follow exactly the same spatial path, ensuring very high stability and self-compensating. The use of Faraday mirrors compensates for automatically any birefringence effects and polarization dependent losses in the transmitting fiber.
In this letter, we demonstrate that a high key creation efficiency can be achieved in a stable differential phase shift quantum key distribution system by using three cascaded Mach–Zehnder interferometers. A pulse is split into four independent pulses, and the bit information is carried by one of the three phase differences between the sequential pulses. Any birefringence effects and polarization-dependent losses in the long-distance fiber are automatically compensated with a Faraday mirror. Due to the neatly use of three cascaded interferometers, the key creation efficiency reaches 3/4.
We propose an auto-compensating differential phase shift scheme for quantum key distribution with a high key-creation efficiency, which skillfully makes use of automatic alignment of the photon polarization states in optical fiber with modified Michelson interferometers composed of unequal arms with Faraday mirrors at the ends. The Faraday-mirrors-based Michelson interferometers not only function as pulse splitters, but also enable inherent compensation of polarization mode dispersion in the optic-fiber paths at both Alice's and Bob's sites. The sequential pulses encoded by differential phase shifts pass through the quantum channel with the same polarization states, resulting in a stable key distribution immune to the polarization mode dispersion in the quantum channel. Such a system features perfect stability and higher key creation efficiency over traditional schemes.
We present a stable and deterministic quantum key distribution (QKD) system based on differential phase shift. With three cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometers with different arm-length differences for creating key, its key creation efficiency can be improved to be 7/8, more than other systems. Any birefringence effects and polarization-dependent losses in the long-distance fiber are automatically compensated with a Faraday mirror. Added an eavesdropping check, this system is more secure than some other phase-coding-based QKD systems. Moreover, the classical information exchanged is reduced largely and the modulation of phase shifts is simplified. All these features make this QKD system more convenient than others in a practical application.
We present a time-multiplexed interferometer based on Faraday mirrors, and apply it to quantum key distribution. The interfering pulses follow exactly the same spatial path, ensuring very high stability and self balancing. Use of Faraday mirrors compensates automatically any birefringence effects and polarization dependent losses in the transmitting fiber. First experimental results show a fringe visibility of 0.9984 for a 23km-long interferometer, based on installed telecom fibers. In so-called private-key cryptographic systems, secure transmission through unprotected channels rely on the exchange of secret keys, known only to the sender, Alice, and the receiver, Bob. Quantum cryptography (QC) relies on the properties of quantum mechanics to obtain a provably secure key distribution [1, 2, 3, 4]. Most exisiting implementations rely on either the polarization [2, 5, 6] or the phase [7, 8, 9, 10] of very weak pulses of light as information carrier. To date, the longest transmission spans were obtained in optical fibers, at a wavelength of 1300 nm [6, 9, 10]. The main difficulty with polarization-based systems is the need to keep stable polarizations over distances of tens of kilometers, in standard telecom cables. Indeed, due to the birefringence of the fibers and the effect of the environment, the output polarization fluctuates randomly. Recent experiments [6]