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Physica Scripta

Boosting asymmetric measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution via numerical-analysis technology

Zi‐Jian Li, Bingbing Zheng, Heqian Zhang, Zhenrong Zhang, Kejin Wei

Published Mar 19, 2024• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract Asymmetric measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) enables building a scalable, high-rate quantum network with an untrusted relay in real-world scenarios. In this study, we improve the performance of asymmetric MDI-QKD using numerical analysis techniques. Simulation results show a twofold increase in tolerance to basis misalignment compared to the previous state-of-the-art method. Specifically, for instances of substantial basis misalignment, the key rate increases by an order of magnitude, and the maximum communication distance extends by 20 km. Our work significantly enhances the robustness and feasibility of asymmetric MDI-QKD, thereby promoting the widespread deployment of MDI-QKD networks.

DOI
10.1088/1402-4896/ad3589

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Abstract Asymmetric measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) enables building a scalable, high-rate quantum network with an untrusted relay in real-world scenarios. In this study, we improve the performance of asymmetric MDI-QKD using numerical analysis techniques. Simulation results show a twofold increase in tolerance to basis misalignment compared to the previous state-of-the-art method. Specifically, for instances of substantial basis misalignment, the key rate increases by an order of magnitude, and the maximum communication distance extends by 20 km. Our work significantly enhances the robustness and feasibility of asymmetric MDI-QKD, thereby promoting the widespread deployment of MDI-QKD networks.
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.
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI QKD), which eliminates all the attacks from the eavesdropper to the measurement party, has been one of the most promising technologies for the implementation of end-to-end quantum networks. In practice, the asymmetry of both sources and channels is generally inevitable. Therefore, we propose a theory to analyze the performance when any two MDI users in networks communicate using asymmetric sources in distinct single or multiple temporal modes. As a specific application, we model to obtain the key rate of MDI QKD with a weak-coherent pulse source and a spontaneous parametric down-conversion source, and compare the performance to the cases with symmetric (i.e., identical) sources. The result demonstrates that the actual performance does not degrade due to the asymmetry of sources. On the contrary, it maintains at a good level over the entire distance we study. This work provides a theoretical basis for analyzing and optimizing MDI-QKD networks with asymmetric sources, thus paving the way for the practical deployment of completely asymmetric MDI-QKD networks.
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) can eliminate all detector side channels and it is practical with current technology. Previous implementations of MDI-QKD all used two symmetric channels with similar losses. However, the secret key rate is severely limited when different channels have different losses. Here we report the results of the first high-rate MDI-QKD experiment over asymmetric channels. By using the recent 7-intensity optimization approach, we demonstrate>10×higher key rate than the previous best-known protocols for MDI-QKD in the situation of large channel asymmetry, and extend the secure transmission distance by more than 20-50 km in standard telecom fiber. The results have moved MDI-QKD towards widespread applications in practical network settings, where the channel losses are asymmetric and user nodes could be dynamically added or deleted.
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) can eliminate detector side channels and prevent all attacks on detectors.The future of MDI-QKD is a quantum network that provides service to many users over untrusted relay nodes.In a real quantum network, the losses of various channels are different and users are added and deleted over time.To adapt to these features, we propose a type of protocol that allows users to independently choose their optimal intensity settings to compensate for different channel losses.Such a protocol enables a scalable high-rate MDI-QKD network that can easily be applied for channels of different losses and allows users to be dynamically added or deleted at any time without affecting the performance of existing users.
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.
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) can provide enhanced security compared to traditional QKD, and it constitutes an important framework for a quantum network with an untrusted network server. Still, a key assumption in MDI-QKD is that the sources are trusted. We propose here a MDI quantum network with a single untrusted source. We have derived a complete proof of the unconditional security of MDI-QKD with an untrusted source. Using simulations, we have considered various real-life imperfections in its implementation, and the simulation results show that MDI-QKD with an untrusted source provides a key generation rate that is close to the rate of initial MDI-QKD in the asymptotic setting. Our work proves the feasibility of the realization of a quantum network. The network users need only low-cost modulation devices, and they can share both an expensive detector and a complicated laser provided by an untrusted network server.