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Optics Letters

Reference-frame-independent quantum key distribution with advantage distillation

Jian-Rong Zhu, Chun-Mei Zhang, Rong Wang, Hong-Wei Li

Published Dec 21, 2022• 18 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Advantage distillation (AD) provides a means of separating highly correlated raw key bits from weakly correlated information in quantum key distribution (QKD). In this Letter, we apply the AD method to improve the performance of reference-frame-independent QKD (RFI-QKD). Simulation results show that, compared with RFI-QKD without AD, RFI-QKD with AD can tolerate higher system errors and obtain better performance on the secret key rate and transmission distance. Furthermore, we extend the AD method to RFI measurement-device-independent QKD (RFI-MDI-QKD) and demonstrate that the AD method can improve the performance of RFI-MDI-QKD more significantly.

DOI
10.1364/ol.480427

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Advantage distillation (AD) provides a means of separating highly correlated raw key bits from weakly correlated information in quantum key distribution (QKD). In this Letter, we apply the AD method to improve the performance of reference-frame-independent QKD (RFI-QKD). Simulation results show that, compared with RFI-QKD without AD, RFI-QKD with AD can tolerate higher system errors and obtain better performance on the secret key rate and transmission distance. Furthermore, we extend the AD method to RFI measurement-device-independent QKD (RFI-MDI-QKD) and demonstrate that the AD method can improve the performance of RFI-MDI-QKD more significantly.
The reference-frame-independent quantum key distribution (RFI-QKD) has the advantage of tolerating reference frames that slowly vary. It can generate secure keys between two remote users with slowly drifted and unknown reference frames. However, the drift of reference frames may inevitably compromise the performance of QKD systems. In the paper, we employ the advantage distillation technology (ADT) to the RFI-QKD and the RFI measurement-device-independent QKD (RFI MDI-QKD), and we then analyze the effect of ADT on the performance of decoy-state RFI-QKD and RFI MDI-QKD in both asymptotic and nonasymptotic cases. The simulation results show that ADT can significantly improve the maximum transmission distance and the maximum tolerable background error rate. Furthermore, the performance of RFI-QKD and RFI MDI-QKD in terms of the secret key rate and maximum transmission distance are still greatly improved when statistical fluctuations are taken into account. Our work combines the merits of the ADT and RFI-QKD protocols, which further enhances the robustness and practicability of QKD systems.
Abstract The coordination between distance and the secure key rate is one of the main challenges in the practical application of quantum key distribution (QKD). Mode‐pairing quantum key distribution is one of the schemes that can surpass the secret key capacity for repeaterless QKD. However, the protocol utilizes phase to encode the information, which leads to the problem of active stabilization in the interferometer. In this paper, a reference‐frame‐independent mode‐pairing quantum key distribution (RFI‐MP‐QKD) is proposed as an effective scheme to solve this problem. Moreover, the performance of the RFI‐MP‐QKD protocol is improved by applying the Advantage Distillation (AD) method in data post‐processing, which separates the highly correlated raw key bits from the weakly correlated information. The simulation results show that the secure key rate of RFI‐MP‐QKD has almost no degradation for reference frame deviation angles of . Compared to RFI‐MP‐QKD without AD method, the AD method decreases the quantum bit error rate from 0.04 to 0.012 and increases the maximum transmission distance from 406 to 450 km. The scheme proposed is expected to facilitate the practical implementation of RFI‐MP‐QKD, especially in cases of concerning reference frame alignment and high channel loss.
Abstract Reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (RFI-MDI-QKD) is considered one of the most promising protocols, as it can generate secret keys without reference frame alignment and defeat all attacks on the measurement side. A fundamental assumption for the security of RFI-MDI-QKD is that both senders can prepare their quantum states with perfect randomness. However, in practical implementations, this assumption may be violated, primarily due to limitations in the imperfect random numbers and quantum device imperfections. In this work, we investigate the effect of weak randomness on the state preparation in practical decoy-state RFI-MDI-QKD, demonstrating that even a small proportion of weak randomness severely compromises the security of RFI-MDI-QKD. Furthermore, we apply the advantage distillation (AD) method to counteract the performance degradation caused by weak randomness in RFI-MDI-QKD. Simulation results demonstrate that AD can significantly improve both the secret key rate and the maximum transmission distance for practical decoy-state RFI-MDI-QKD under weak randomness conditions. These results represent a critical advance toward the development of secure, long-distance, multi-node quantum communication networks.
Abstract The robustness of reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (RFI-MDI-QKD) against detection system vulnerabilities and its tolerance to reference frame drifts make it an ideal choice for hybrid channels. However, the impact of atmospheric turbulence on transmittance fluctuations remains a significant challenge for enhancing the performance of RFI-MDI-QKD. In this paper, we apply prefixed-threshold real-time selection and advantage distillation techniques to RFI-MDI-QKD in a hybrid channels scenario. Then, we analytically derive formulas for secret key rate in hybrid channels. Simulation results show that our modified scheme has apparent advances in both maximum tolerant loss and secure key rate compared to the fiber-only channel. Specifically, the result demonstrates that the maximum transmission distance can be improved by 15 km and 28 km when N = 1012 and 1011. Our work not only provides a more robust key distribution protocol but also establishes a solid theoretical foundation for enhancing the performance of RFI-MDI-QKD in hybrid channels.
Reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (RFI-MDI-QKD) eliminates detector side-channel attacks and avoids reference-frame calibration. While its feasibility has been widely demonstrated, existing implementations typically assume fixed or slowly drifting reference-frame misalignment, conditions rarely satisfied outside the laboratory. In realistic environments, rapid and free-running reference-frame variations can severely degrade both the key rate and transmission distance of conventional RFI-MDI-QKD. Here we propose a free-running RFI-MDI-QKD protocol that maintains high-rate key generation under rapid reference-frame variations. By introducing a classification-distillation method that reclassifies total detection events, secure keys can be extracted without modifying the experimental setup. Our protocol achieves a key rate more than nine times higher than the best previous RFI-MDI-QKD scheme and tolerates channel losses exceeding 24 dB, where earlier approaches fail. These results enable practical quantum key distribution on mobile platforms, including satellite-to-ground links and airborne nodes.
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) completely closes the security loopholes caused by the imperfection of devices at the detection terminal. Commonly, a symmetric MDI-QKD model is widely used in simulations and experiments. This scenario is far from a real quantum network, where the losses of channels connecting each user are quite different. To adapt such a feature, an asymmetric MDI-QKD model is proposed. How to improve the performance of asymmetric MDI-QKD also becomes an important research direction. In this work, an advantage distillation (AD) method is applied to further improve the performance of asymmetric MDI-QKD without changing the original system structure. Simulation results show that the AD method can improve the secret key rate and transmission distance, especially in the highly asymmetric cases. Therefore, this scheme will greatly promote the development of future MDI-QKD networks.