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Chinese Physics Letters

Twin-Field Quantum Key Distribution Protocol Based on Wavelength-Division-Multiplexing Technology

Yanxin Han, Zhongqi Sun, Tianqi Dou, Jipeng Wang, Zhenhua Li, Yuqing Huang, Pengyun Li, Haiqiang Ma

Published May 16, 2022• 7 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) generates information-theoretical secret keys between two parties based on the physical laws of quantum mechanics. Following the advancement in quantum communication networks, it becomes feasible and economical to combine QKD with classical optical communication through the same fiber using dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology. This study proposes a detailed scheme of TF-QKD protocol with DWDM technology and analyzes its performance, considering the influence of quantum channel number and adjacent quantum crosstalk on the secret key rates. The simulation results show that the scheme further increases the secret key rate of TF-QKD and its variants. Therefore, this scheme provides a method for improving the secret key rate for practical quantum networks.

DOI
10.1088/0256-307x/39/7/070301

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Quantum key distribution (QKD) generates information-theoretical secret keys between two parties based on the physical laws of quantum mechanics. Following the advancement in quantum communication networks, it becomes feasible and economical to combine QKD with classical optical communication through the same fiber using dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology. This study proposes a detailed scheme of TF-QKD protocol with DWDM technology and analyzes its performance, considering the influence of quantum channel number and adjacent quantum crosstalk on the secret key rates. The simulation results show that the scheme further increases the secret key rate of TF-QKD and its variants. Therefore, this scheme provides a method for improving the secret key rate for practical quantum networks.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) generates information-theoretical secure keys between two parties based on the physical laws of quantum mechanics. The phase-matching (PM) QKD protocol allows the key rate to break the quantum channel secret key capacity limit without quantum repeaters, and the security of the protocol is demonstrated by using equivalent entanglement. In this paper, the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technique is applied to the PM-QKD protocol considering the effect of crosstalk noise on the secret key rate. The performance of PM-QKD protocol based on WDM with the influence of adjacent classical channels and Raman scattering is analyzed by numerical simulations to maximize the total secret key rate of the QKD, providing a reference for future implementations of QKD based on WDM techniques.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) enables two parties to establish a secret key over a potentially hostile channel by exchanging photonic quantum states, relying on the fact that it is impossible for an eavesdropper to tap the quantum channel without disturbing these photons in a way that can be detected [1]. Here we introduce a large-alphabet QKD protocol that makes optimal use of temporal and spectral correlations of entangled photons, reaching the maximum number of inde- pendent basis states (the Schmidt number) and enabling extremely high information content per photon together with an optimal rate of secret key generation. This protocol, which we call 'Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexed Quantum Key Distribution' (DWDM-QKD), derives its security by the conjugate nature of the temporal and spectral entanglement of photon pairs generated by spontaneous parametric down conversion. By using a combination of spectral and temporal bases, we can adjust the protocol to be resource efficient. We show that DWDM-QKD is well suited to approach the optimal key generation rate using present-day sources, detectors, and DWDM opti- cal networks from classical communications, as well as emerging optical interconnect and photonic integrated chip (PIC) systems.
In recent years, quantum communication technology has gradually entered the practical stage. Multiple quantum key distribution (QKD) networks have been built and tested all over the world. However, quantum communication networking mode always evolves from a point-to-point network to a many-to-many network. The major challenges in quantum communication are secret key rate, distance, cost, and size of QKD devices. We proposed a low-cost, lightweight-client, twin-field QKD network with wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). The proposed implementation adopts polarization multiplexing, time-division multiplexing, and WDM technology to solve all these major challenges and implement a many-to-many dynamic communications network. Furthermore, our scheme can effectively reduce the cost to less than half of that of current QKD networks and has reference significance for large-scale deployment of QKD networks.
Abstract Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology can improve the networking level and overcome the shortcomings of low key rate under the existing technic background of measurement device independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) protocol application. reference frame independent quantum key distribution (RFI-MDI-QKD) protocol cut down on the influence of the reference frame drift on the key distribution system. The decoy state protocol has important development prospects in the development of quantum communication networking. Combining the advantages of of the above protocols to realize RFI-MDI-QKD with WDM, the results show that the key distribution efficiency is improved with the increase in the number of WDM multiplexed channels, which promotes the further exploration and achievement of QKD networking application.
Abstract Developing quantum key distribution (QKD) has been recently directed toward distance extension and network expansion for real-world secure communications. Considering a recent report on a quantum communication network over 4,600 km, it seems that QKD networks using conventional protocols have been sufficiently studied. However, although the twin-field QKD (TF-QKD) proposed for long-distance QKD has been studied deeply enough to succeed the demonstrations over 428- and 511-km deployed fibers, TF-QKD networks have been verified only for a ring network. In this work, we propose a star topological 2 × N TF-QKD network scheme, where the coherence maintenance issue, being the primary obstacle to implementing TF-QKD, can be minimized by the automatic mode-matching feature of the Sagnac-based plug-and-play architecture. A lower number of active controllers is required for our scheme in comparison with one-way TF-QKD networks. Moreover, our scheme adopts a cost-effective configuration that requires only a single pair of single-photon detectors for the entire network system. We conducted a proof-of-concept experiment over a 50-km fiber successfully, achieving an average secret key rate of 1.31 × 10−4 bit per pulse (1.52 bit per second) with the finite-size effect.
Theoretical research and numerical simulation of the noise influence caused by spontaneous Raman scattering, four-wave mixing, and linear channel cross talk on the performances of quantum key distribution (QKD) systems were conducted. Three types of QKD systems were considered: a coherent one-way QKD protocol, subcarrier-wave QKD system, and continuous-variable QKD integrated with classical dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) channels. We calculate the secure key generation rate for the systems mentioned addressing different channel allocation schemes (i.e., configurations). A uniform DWDM grid is considered with a quantum channel located in the C-band and O-band (at 1310 nm) of a telecommunication window. The systems’ performances are analyzed in terms of the maximal achievable distance values. Configurations for further analysis and investigation are chosen optimally, i.e., their maximal achievable distances are the best.