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

Scientific Reports

25 MHz clock continuous-variable quantum key distribution system over 50 km fiber channel

Chao Wang, Duan Huang, Peng Huang, Dakai Lin, Jinye Peng, Guihua Zeng

Published Sep 30, 2015• 71 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this paper, a practical continuous-variable quantum key distribution system is developed and it runs in the real-world conditions with 25 MHz clock rate. To reach high-rate, we have employed a homodyne detector with maximal bandwidth to 300 MHz and an optimal high-efficiency error reconciliation algorithm with processing speed up to 25 Mbps. To optimize the stability of the system, several key techniques are developed, which include a novel phase compensation algorithm, a polarization feedback algorithm, and related stability method on the modulators. Practically, our system is tested for more than 12 hours with a final secret key rate of 52 kbps over 50 km transmission distance, which is the highest rate so far in such distance. Our system may pave the road for practical broadband secure quantum communication with continuous variables in the commercial conditions.

DOI
10.1038/srep14607

Related papers

Sub-Mbps key-rate continuous-variable quantum key distribution with local local oscillator over 100-km fiber

Yaodi Pi, Heng Wang, Yan Pan +6 more

We experimentally demonstrated a sub-Mbps key rate Gaussian-modulated coherent-state (GMCS) continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) over a 100-km transmission distance. To efficiently control the excess noise, the quantum signal and the pilot tone are co-transmitted in the fiber channel based on wideband frequency and polarization multiplexing methods. Furthermore, a high-accuracy data-assisted time domain equalization algorithm is carefully designed to compensate the phase noise and polarization variation in low signal-to-noise ratio. The asymptotic secure key rate (SKR) of the demonstrated CV-QKD is experimentally calculated to be 7.55 Mbps, 1.87 Mbps, and 0.51 Mbps over a transmission distance of 50 km, 75 km, and 100 km, respectively. The experimentally demonstrated that the CV-QKD system significantly improves the transmission distance and SKR compared to the state-of-art GMCS CV-QKD experimental results, and shows the potential for long-distance and high-speed secure quantum key distribution.

arXiv:2212.11534•Optics Letters•Feb 27, 2023•57 citations

Frequency-multiplexed entanglement for continuous-variable quantum key distribution

Olena Kovalenko, Young-Sik Ra, Yin Cai +4 more

Quantum key distribution with continuous variables already uses advantageous high-speed single-mode homodyne detection with low electronic noise at room temperature. Together with continuous-variable information encoding to nonclassical states, the distance for secure key transmission through lossy channels can approach 300 km in current optical fibers. Such protocols tolerate higher channel noise and also limited data processing efficiency compared to coherent-state protocols. The secret key rate can be further increased by increasing the system clock rates, and, further, by a suitable frequency-mode-multiplexing of optical transmission channels. However, the multiplexed modes couple together in the source or any other part of the protocol. Therefore, multiplexed communication will experience cross talk and the gain can be minuscule. Advantageously, homodyne detectors allow solving this cross-talk problem by proper data processing. It is a potential advantage over protocols with single-photon detectors, which do not enable similar data processing techniques. We demonstrate the positive outcome of this methodology on the experimentally characterized frequency-multiplexed entangled source of femtosecond optical pulses with natural cross talk between eight entangled pairs of modes. As the main result, we predict the almost 15-fold higher secret key rate. This experimental test and analysis of frequency-multiplexed entanglement source open the way for the field implementation of high-capacity quantum key distribution with continuous variables.

arXiv:2110.14506•Photonics Research•Oct 5, 2021•26 citations

Continuous-variable QKD over 50 km commercial fiber

Yichen Zhang, Zhengyu Li, Ziyang Chen +18 more

Abstract The continuous-variable version of quantum key distribution (QKD) offers the advantages (over discrete-variable systems) of higher secret key rates in metropolitan areas, as well as the use of standard telecom components that can operate at room temperature. An important step in the real-world adoption of continuous-variable QKD is the deployment of field tests over commercial fibers. Here we report two different field tests of a continuous-variable QKD system through commercial fiber networks in Xi’an and Guangzhou over distances of 30.02 km (12.48 dB) and 49.85 km (11.62 dB), respectively. We achieve secure key rates two orders-of-magnitude higher than previous field test demonstrations by employing an efficient calibration model with one-time evaluation. This accomplishment is also realized by developing a fully automatic control system which stabilizes system noise, and by applying a rate-adaptive reconciliation method which maintains high reconciliation efficiency with high success probability in fluctuated environments. Our results pave the way for the deployment of continuous-variable QKD in metropolitan settings.

arXiv:1709.04618•Quantum Science and Technology•May 29, 2019•222 citations

Continuous-variable quantum key distribution over 28.6 km fiber with an integrated silicon photonic receiver chip

Yiming Bian, Yan Pan, Xuesong Xu +7 more

Quantum key distribution, which ensures information-theoretically secret key generation, is currently advancing through photonic integration to achieve high performance, cost reduction, and compact size, thereby facilitating the large-scale deployment. Continuous-variable quantum key distribution is an attractive approach for photonic integrations due to its compatibility with off-the-shelf optical communication devices. However, its chip-based systems have encountered significant limitations primarily related to the shot-noise-limited receiver design, which demands low noise, wide bandwidth, high clearance, and well stability. Here, we report the implementation of a real local oscillator continuous-variable quantum key distribution system with an integrated silicon photonic receiver chip. Thanks to the well-designed chip-based homodyne detectors with a bandwidth up to 1.5 GHz and a clearance up to 7.42 dB, the transmission distance of the system has been extended to 28.6 km, achieving a secret key generation rate of Mbps level. This technological advancement enables the quantum key distribution systems with photonic integrated receivers to achieve the coverage in both access network scenarios and short-distance metropolitan interconnections, paving the way for the development of the next-generation quantum key distribution networks on a large scale.

arXiv:2402.10411•Applied Physics Letters•Apr 22, 2024•44 citations

High-speed continuous-variable quantum key distribution without sending a local oscillator

Duan Huang, Peng Huang, Dakai Lin +2 more

We report a 100-MHz continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) experiment over a 25-km fiber channel without sending a local oscillator (LO). We use a "locally" generated LO and implement with a 1-GHz shot-noise-limited homodyne detector to achieve high-speed quantum measurement, and we propose a secure phase compensation scheme to maintain a low level of excess noise. These make high-bit-rate CV-QKD significantly simpler for larger transmission distances compared with previous schemes in which both LO and quantum signals are transmitted through the insecure quantum channel.

Optics Letters•Jul 30, 2015•239 citations

Continuous-variable quantum key distribution with 1 Mbps secure key rate

Duan Huang, Dakai Lin, Chao Wang +5 more

We report the first continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) experiment to enable the creation of 1 Mbps secure key rate over 25 km standard telecom fiber in a coarse wavelength division multiplexers (CWDM) environment. The result is achieved with two major technological advances: the use of a 1 GHz shot-noise-limited homodyne detector and the implementation of a 50 MHz clock system. The excess noise due to noise photons from local oscillator and classical data channels in CWDM is controlled effectively. We note that the experimental verification of high-bit-rate CVQKD in the multiplexing environment is a significant step closer toward large-scale deployment in fiber networks.

Optics Express•Jun 26, 2015•199 citations
In this paper, a practical continuous-variable quantum key distribution system is developed and it runs in the real-world conditions with 25 MHz clock rate. To reach high-rate, we have employed a homodyne detector with maximal bandwidth to 300 MHz and an optimal high-efficiency error reconciliation algorithm with processing speed up to 25 Mbps. To optimize the stability of the system, several key techniques are developed, which include a novel phase compensation algorithm, a polarization feedback algorithm, and related stability method on the modulators. Practically, our system is tested for more than 12 hours with a final secret key rate of 52 kbps over 50 km transmission distance, which is the highest rate so far in such distance. Our system may pave the road for practical broadband secure quantum communication with continuous variables in the commercial conditions.
We experimentally demonstrated a sub-Mbps key rate Gaussian-modulated coherent-state (GMCS) continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) over a 100-km transmission distance. To efficiently control the excess noise, the quantum signal and the pilot tone are co-transmitted in the fiber channel based on wideband frequency and polarization multiplexing methods. Furthermore, a high-accuracy data-assisted time domain equalization algorithm is carefully designed to compensate the phase noise and polarization variation in low signal-to-noise ratio. The asymptotic secure key rate (SKR) of the demonstrated CV-QKD is experimentally calculated to be 7.55 Mbps, 1.87 Mbps, and 0.51 Mbps over a transmission distance of 50 km, 75 km, and 100 km, respectively. The experimentally demonstrated that the CV-QKD system significantly improves the transmission distance and SKR compared to the state-of-art GMCS CV-QKD experimental results, and shows the potential for long-distance and high-speed secure quantum key distribution.
Quantum key distribution with continuous variables already uses advantageous high-speed single-mode homodyne detection with low electronic noise at room temperature. Together with continuous-variable information encoding to nonclassical states, the distance for secure key transmission through lossy channels can approach 300 km in current optical fibers. Such protocols tolerate higher channel noise and also limited data processing efficiency compared to coherent-state protocols. The secret key rate can be further increased by increasing the system clock rates, and, further, by a suitable frequency-mode-multiplexing of optical transmission channels. However, the multiplexed modes couple together in the source or any other part of the protocol. Therefore, multiplexed communication will experience cross talk and the gain can be minuscule. Advantageously, homodyne detectors allow solving this cross-talk problem by proper data processing. It is a potential advantage over protocols with single-photon detectors, which do not enable similar data processing techniques. We demonstrate the positive outcome of this methodology on the experimentally characterized frequency-multiplexed entangled source of femtosecond optical pulses with natural cross talk between eight entangled pairs of modes. As the main result, we predict the almost 15-fold higher secret key rate. This experimental test and analysis of frequency-multiplexed entanglement source open the way for the field implementation of high-capacity quantum key distribution with continuous variables.
Abstract The continuous-variable version of quantum key distribution (QKD) offers the advantages (over discrete-variable systems) of higher secret key rates in metropolitan areas, as well as the use of standard telecom components that can operate at room temperature. An important step in the real-world adoption of continuous-variable QKD is the deployment of field tests over commercial fibers. Here we report two different field tests of a continuous-variable QKD system through commercial fiber networks in Xi’an and Guangzhou over distances of 30.02 km (12.48 dB) and 49.85 km (11.62 dB), respectively. We achieve secure key rates two orders-of-magnitude higher than previous field test demonstrations by employing an efficient calibration model with one-time evaluation. This accomplishment is also realized by developing a fully automatic control system which stabilizes system noise, and by applying a rate-adaptive reconciliation method which maintains high reconciliation efficiency with high success probability in fluctuated environments. Our results pave the way for the deployment of continuous-variable QKD in metropolitan settings.
Quantum key distribution, which ensures information-theoretically secret key generation, is currently advancing through photonic integration to achieve high performance, cost reduction, and compact size, thereby facilitating the large-scale deployment. Continuous-variable quantum key distribution is an attractive approach for photonic integrations due to its compatibility with off-the-shelf optical communication devices. However, its chip-based systems have encountered significant limitations primarily related to the shot-noise-limited receiver design, which demands low noise, wide bandwidth, high clearance, and well stability. Here, we report the implementation of a real local oscillator continuous-variable quantum key distribution system with an integrated silicon photonic receiver chip. Thanks to the well-designed chip-based homodyne detectors with a bandwidth up to 1.5 GHz and a clearance up to 7.42 dB, the transmission distance of the system has been extended to 28.6 km, achieving a secret key generation rate of Mbps level. This technological advancement enables the quantum key distribution systems with photonic integrated receivers to achieve the coverage in both access network scenarios and short-distance metropolitan interconnections, paving the way for the development of the next-generation quantum key distribution networks on a large scale.
We report a 100-MHz continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) experiment over a 25-km fiber channel without sending a local oscillator (LO). We use a "locally" generated LO and implement with a 1-GHz shot-noise-limited homodyne detector to achieve high-speed quantum measurement, and we propose a secure phase compensation scheme to maintain a low level of excess noise. These make high-bit-rate CV-QKD significantly simpler for larger transmission distances compared with previous schemes in which both LO and quantum signals are transmitted through the insecure quantum channel.
We report the first continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) experiment to enable the creation of 1 Mbps secure key rate over 25 km standard telecom fiber in a coarse wavelength division multiplexers (CWDM) environment. The result is achieved with two major technological advances: the use of a 1 GHz shot-noise-limited homodyne detector and the implementation of a 50 MHz clock system. The excess noise due to noise photons from local oscillator and classical data channels in CWDM is controlled effectively. We note that the experimental verification of high-bit-rate CVQKD in the multiplexing environment is a significant step closer toward large-scale deployment in fiber networks.