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Chinese Physics Letters

Experimental Point-to-Multipoint Plug-and-Play Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution Network*

Guang‐Zhao Tang, Shi‐Hai Sun, Chunyan Li

Published Jul 1, 2019• 20 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) offers a practical way to realize a star-type quantum network. Previous experiments on MDI-QKD networks can only support the point-to-point communication. We experimentally demonstrate a plug-and-play MDI-QKD network which can support the point-to-multipoint communication among three users. Benefiting from the plug-and-play MDI-QKD architecture, the whole network is automatically stabilized in spectrum, polarization, arrival time, and phase reference. The users only need the encoding devices, which means that the hardware requirements are greatly reduced. Our experiment shows that it is feasible to establish a point-to-multipoint MDI-QKD network.

DOI
10.1088/0256-307x/36/7/070301

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Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) offers a practical way to realize a star-type quantum network. Previous experiments on MDI-QKD networks can only support the point-to-point communication. We experimentally demonstrate a plug-and-play MDI-QKD network which can support the point-to-multipoint communication among three users. Benefiting from the plug-and-play MDI-QKD architecture, the whole network is automatically stabilized in spectrum, polarization, arrival time, and phase reference. The users only need the encoding devices, which means that the hardware requirements are greatly reduced. Our experiment shows that it is feasible to establish a point-to-multipoint MDI-QKD network.
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) is immune to all security loopholes on detection. Previous experiments on MDI-QKD required spatially separated signal lasers and complicated stabilization systems. In this paper, we perform a proof-of-principle experimental demonstration of plug-and-play MDI-QKD over an asymmetric channel setting with a single signal laser in which the whole system is automatically stabilized in spectrum, polarization, arrival time, and phase reference. Both the signal laser and the single-photon detectors are in the possession of a common server. A passive timing-calibration technique is applied to ensure the precise and stable overlap of signal pulses. The results pave the way for the realization of a quantum network in which the users only need the encoding devices.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) guarantees unconditional communication security based on the laws of quantum physics. However, practical QKD suffers from a number of quantum hackings due to the device imperfections. From the security standpoint, measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) is in the limelight since it eliminates all the possible loopholes in detection. Due to active control units for mode matching between the photons from remote parties, however, the implementation of MDI-QKD is highly impractical. In this paper, we propose a method to resolve the mode matching problem while minimizing the use of active control units. By introducing the plug-and-play (P) concept into MDI-QKD, the indistinguishability in spectral and polarization modes between photons can naturally be guaranteed. We show the feasibility of P MDI-QKD with a proof-of-principle experiment.
We have implemented a practical plug-and-play measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI QKD) system with polarization division multiplexing (PDM). MDI QKD is known as a secure protocol that can inherently prevent detection loopholes. Significant efforts have been made toward implementing MDI QKD systems. Recently, a plug-and-play architecture has been proposed for implementing the MDI QKD system, and its feasibility has been experimentally verified in both free space and fiber channel. However, in order to apply it to the real world, it is necessary to develop a more practical architecture including multiplexing methods and self-compensation techniques. In this paper, we have proposed and implemented a practical plug-and-play MDI QKD architecture that can be implemented regardless of whether the quantum channel lengths of Alice and Bob are symmetric or asymmetric using PDM and can be operated even under ambient-temperature-changing environments through an optical path-length self-compensation technique. Experimentally, we have achieved6.25×10−66.25\times 10^{-6}6.25×10−6bits per pulse as the key rate and the quantum bit error rates under 3% on 25-km quantum channels.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) gaurantees unconditional communication security based on the laws of quantum physics. However, practical QKD suffers from a number of quantum hackings due to the device imperfections. From the security standpoint, measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) is in the limelight since it eliminates all the possible loopholes in detection. Due to active control units for mode matching between the photons from remote parties, however, the implementation of MDI-QKD is highly impractical. In this article, we propose a novel method in which the indistinguishability issue is resolved without any active control unit. By introducing Plug-and-Play (P&P) concept into MDI-QKD, the indistinguishability between photons can naturally be guaranteed. We show the feasibility of P&P MDI-QKD with a proof-of-principle experiment.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) can serve large numbers of users with unconditional secure communication, in which measurement-device-independent (MDI) QKD protocol can conveniently enhance realistic security by eliminating all detector side channels. In multi-user scenarios, MDI-QKD networks should meet the requirements of reliability and robustness. Around the issues, we complete a series of work on performance improvement, low-cost deployment, and robust networking. First is to answer how to change the trusted node to the untrusted node with low cost, here we propose and demonstrate an MDIQKD which is compatible with phase encoding BB84 networks, allowing for economical deployment of MDI-QKD networks and reconciliation between high key rate and high realistic security in the same network. Then we make the MDI networks more robust. We design an MDI-QKD networking scheme for multi-user access where more than two users can generate keys synchronously regardless of aligning reference frames and compensating channel disturbance on polarization. Third, we find a general method to distil secure keys from quantum discord, which is different to the previous entanglement-based frameworks of MDI-QKD, allowing imperfect preparation and measurement of quantum states. The series of work can help the practical application of MDI-QKD networks, and promote the development of quantum networks.