Physical-layer secure key distribution (PLSKD) exploiting channel reciprocity and randomness is promising for data security enhancement in fiber, offering an endogenous high key generation rate (KGR) up to Gb/s. The PLSKD provides the integration possibility of key generation and data transmission within the same fiber channel. The coexistence schemes of PLSKD and secure data transmission in fibers are proposed using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), and full-duplex transmission at the same wavelength. The coexistence schemes are experimentally demonstrated with a 3.4 and 3.25 Gb/s PLSKD, where the encrypted data rate is 15.7 Gb/s, over a 20 km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) using WDM or full-duplex respectively. The effects of channel spacing using WDM and trade-offs between PLSKD and secure data transmission using full-duplex are fully analyzed. The proposed secure data transmission with PLSKD is classical and fully compatible with current fiber infrastructures.
A high-speed quantum key distribution (QKD) system has been developed with the goal of a 1-Mbps final secure key generation rate under 10-dB transmission loss, which corresponds to 50 km of standard single mode fiber. For the purpose of speeding-up all processes in QKD sequence, we apply a wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) technique using the colorless interferometric technique and a key distillation hardware (HW) engine. We establish a novel WDM scheme, sharing interferometers and their temperature regulators over multiple channels, which enables us to increase the number of channels with a small impact on system cost and size. To generate a secure key while satisfying both high speed and high security, we develop a key distillation HW engine which enables us to execute key distillation with 1-Mbit code length in real time. We have experimentally evaluated the performance of the developed system through installed fiber. By operating three wavelength channels, a new, world leading key generation rate of greater than 200 kbps over a 14.5-dB transmission loss has been achieved.