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

Differential phase-shift quantum key distribution

Kyo Inoue, Edo Waks A, Y. Yamamoto

Published Sep 11, 2002• 64 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This paper presents novel quantum key distribution (QKD) schemes that use differential phases of sequential pulses as an information carrier. Alice sends a photon in a linear superposition state of three temporal slots, in which each amplitude is phase-modulated by {0,π}. Bob measures the phase difference of an asymmetric interferometer, and tells Alice time-instance at which the photon was counted. From this time information and her modulation data, Alice knows which detector counted the photon in Bob s site. Then, the two parties create a secret key. The scheme is suitable for fiber transmission systems and offers key creation efficiency higher than conventional phase-encoding QKD. The above scheme utilizes fully non-orthogonal four states. Differential phase shift QKD utilizing two non-orthogonal states is also presented. Alice sends a coherent pulse train with less than one photon per pulse, which is phase modulated by {0,π} for each pulse, and Bob measures the pulse train by a one-bit delay circuit. The system has a simple configuration such that Alice has no interferometer and sends no intense reference pulse, unlike to conventional QKD scheme using two non-orthogonal states, and also has an advantage of high key creation efficiency.

DOI
10.1117/12.483037

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This paper presents novel quantum key distribution (QKD) schemes that use differential phases of sequential pulses as an information carrier. Alice sends a photon in a linear superposition state of three temporal slots, in which each amplitude is phase-modulated by {0,π}. Bob measures the phase difference of an asymmetric interferometer, and tells Alice time-instance at which the photon was counted. From this time information and her modulation data, Alice knows which detector counted the photon in Bob s site. Then, the two parties create a secret key. The scheme is suitable for fiber transmission systems and offers key creation efficiency higher than conventional phase-encoding QKD. The above scheme utilizes fully non-orthogonal four states. Differential phase shift QKD utilizing two non-orthogonal states is also presented. Alice sends a coherent pulse train with less than one photon per pulse, which is phase modulated by {0,π} for each pulse, and Bob measures the pulse train by a one-bit delay circuit. The system has a simple configuration such that Alice has no interferometer and sends no intense reference pulse, unlike to conventional QKD scheme using two non-orthogonal states, and also has an advantage of high key creation efficiency.
Differential-phase-shift quantum key distribution based on two nonorthogonal states is described. A weak coherent pulse train is sent from Alice to Bob, in which the phase of each pulse is randomly modulated by ${0,\ensuremath{\pi}}.$ Bob measures the differential phase by a one-bit delay circuit. The system has a simple configuration without the need for an interferometer and a bright reference pulse in Alice's site, unlike the conventional QKD system based on two nonorthogonal states, and has an advantage of improved communication efficiency. The principle of the operation is successfully demonstrated in experiments.
The differential-phase-shift quantum key distribution (DPS-QKD) is a recently proposed QKD scheme in which a pulse train is transmitted through a quantum channel. This paper extends the ideal of the DPS-QKD to entanglement-based systems. Two schemes are presented. In one, an entanglement source sends pulse trains of signal and idler to two parties (Alice and Bob), respectively, who phase-modulate the incoming pulses and receive them after one-bit delay interferometers. In the other, two entanglement sources are prepared, one between Alice and a repeating node (Charlie) and one between Charlie and Bob, which send signal and idler pulse trains to Alice and Bob and Charlie, respectively. These schemes offer a longer distance between Alice and Bob than the conventional DPS-QKD.
Quantum key distribution is used for secure communication between two parties for generation of secret key. Differential Phase Shift Quantum Key Distribution is a new and unique QKD protocol that is different from traditional ones, providing simplicity and practicality. This paper presents Delay Selected DPS-QKD scheme in which it uses a weak coherent pulse train, and features simple configuration and efficient use of the time domain. All detected photon participate to form a secure key bits and resulting in a higher key creation efficiency.
A novel type of quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol, called DPS (differential-phase-shift) QKD, was proposed several years ago. A sender transmits a highly-attenuated coherent pulse train with {0, π} phase, and a receiver receives it with a one-bit delay Mach-Zehnder interferometer followed by photon detectors. A secret key is created from photon detection events, whose security is based on the fact that an eavesdropper cannot perfectly measure the phase information of a highly-attenuated coherent pulse train. This protocol has some features of simple setup, potential for a high key creation rate, and robustness against photon-number-splitting attack. This paper overviews DPS-QKD. The operation mechanism is described, and then some experimental efforts are introduced, featuring use of a glass waveguide Mach-Zehnder interferometer and advanced single-photon detectors. The highest key rate and the longest distance have been achieved with the DPS-QKD protocol. Some modified schemes are also presented, including that utilizing quantum entanglement, that using decoy pulses, and that using macroscopic coherent light.