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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics

Integrated photonic devices for measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution

Henry Semenenko, Philip Sibson, Mark G. Thompson, Chris Erven

Published Feb 25, 2019• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution offers a way of distributing randomness for use in symmetric key cryptography. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using integrated photonic devices for measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution. Using two Indium Phosphide transmitters we have shown the required control for interference between independent devices. The topology of this protocol allows cheap access to the quantum network to users through integrated devices and expensive resources to be shared by the whole network.

DOI
10.23919/cleo.2019.8750372

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Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution offers a way of distributing randomness for use in symmetric key cryptography. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using integrated photonic devices for measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution. Using two Indium Phosphide transmitters we have shown the required control for interference between independent devices. The topology of this protocol allows cheap access to the quantum network to users through integrated devices and expensive resources to be shared by the whole network.
Advances in quantum computing are a rapidly growing threat towards modern cryptography. Quantum key distribution (QKD) provides long-term security without assuming the computational power of an adversary. However, inconsistencies between theory and experiment have raised questions in terms of real-world security, while large and power-hungry commercial systems have slowed wide-scale adoption. Measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD) provides a method of sharing secret keys that removes all possible detector side-channel attacks which drastically improves security claims. In this Letter, we experimentally demonstrate a key step required to perform MDI-QKD with scalable integrated devices. We show Hong-Ou-Mandel interference between weak coherent states carved from two independent indium phosphide transmitters at 431 MHz with a visibility of 46.5±0.8%. This Letter demonstrates the feasibility of using integrated devices to lower a major barrier towards the adoption of QKD in metropolitan networks.
As quantum key distribution (QKD) begins to move from laboratories into real-world use cases, some practical aspects need to be addressed before it can be widely adopted. Not least of which is the size and cost of the devices. The semiconductor industry, over the last 50 years, has provided a scalable platform for integrated electronics. Using the same fabrication processes, it is possible to create quantum photonic microchips to entirely replace the optical components needed for QKD. Using both indium phosphide and silicon devices, we can design and fabricate integrated devices to perform QKD with highly competitive speeds and error rates. At the same time, they offer dramatically reduced power requirements, size and costs while offering increased phase stability and inherent scalability. Other recent developments in the field include new protocols to remove the security assumptions about the physical devices used. One such protocol is measurement-device independent QKD (MDI-QKD) which removes all detector side-channels. Combining integrated devices with MDI-QKD, we are working towards developing a practical architecture for metropolitan QKD. Here, we provide a recap of QKD and discuss the current state of integrated QKD devices and their potential applications in metropolitan networks.
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI QKD) removes all detector side channels and enables secure QKD with an untrusted relay.It is suitable for building a star-type quantum access network, where the complicated and expensive measurement devices are placed in the central untrusted relay and each user requires only a low-cost transmitter, such as an integrated photonic chip.Here, we experimentally demonstrate a 1.25-GHz silicon photonic chip-based MDI QKD system using polarization encoding.The photonic chip transmitters integrate the necessary encoding components for a standard QKD source.We implement random modulations of polarization states and decoy intensities, and demonstrate a finite-key secret rate of 31 bit=s over 36-dB channel loss (or 180-km standard fiber).This key rate is higher than state-of-the-art MDI QKD experiments.The results show that silicon photonic chipbased MDI QKD, benefiting from miniaturization, low-cost manufacture, and compatibility with CMOS microelectronics, is a promising solution for future quantum secure networks.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is moving from laboratory demonstrations toward network deployment, and integrated photonic chips provide a hardware route for compact, stable and scalable systems. This review summarizes progress in integrated photonic chips for QKD from protocol requirements to deployable systems. It first examines how decoy-state BB84, measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD), twin-field QKD (TF-QKD), continuous-variable QKD (CV-QKD) and device-independent QKD (DI-QKD) constrain chip metrics such as loss, modulation accuracy, state indistinguishability, phase stability, synchronization and security monitoring. It then compares planar lightwave circuit (PLC), silicon photonics, silicon nitride, thin-film lithium niobate, indium phosphide (InP) and heterogeneous platforms in terms of routing loss, modulation speed, stable interference, source integration and detector interfaces. Transmitter and receiver architectures, coherent detection, single-photon detection interfaces and on-chip monitoring are discussed as system-level building blocks. The review further analyses phase stability, packaging coupling, thermal management, polarization control, network coexistence and reliability, emphasizing that deployable QKD chips must remain calibratable and compatible with security models under realistic operation. Finally, system demonstrations, network deployment and practical security are discussed within a unified evaluation framework. Throughout, we argue that integration benefits QKD only when compact routing, stable interference, calibration access and manufacturable packaging jointly keep the device inside the assumptions of its security proof; accordingly, chip performance should be judged by mapped, calibratable security parameters rather than by integration density alone.
Reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution is a promising candidate for building star-type quantum secure networks because it does not require reference alignment and removes all detector-side-channel attacks. However, prior works considered only a symmetric case in which the channels of both users have the same loss. In a realistic quantum secure network, the losses of various channels are likely to be different owing to their geographical locations. In this study, we present an asymmetric protocol for scalable reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution networks. By allowing independent adjustments of signal intensities of both users, our protocol provides a higher key rate than previous symmetric protocols in a realistic quantum secure network. The simulation results demonstrate that our protocol works well under realistic experimental conditions and obtains a key rate that is approximately one order of magnitude higher than that of previous methods. Our study paves the way for high-rate quantum secure communication network development.