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Optical Technologies for Telecommunications (OTT)

Simulation and performance analysis of quantum key distribution system with regard to variations of optical path attenuation

Michael V. Dashkov, Ekaterina I. Bogdanova

Published Aug 14, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In paper the analysis of factors of QKD performance degradation in fiber-optic path is represented. Possible causes of variation in optical attenuation are considered and features are identified based on practical experience and results of experimental data. The simulation model for QKD system based on BB84 protocol taking into account optical path attenuation variation was proposed and results of simulation are represented.

DOI
10.1117/12.3067480

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In paper the analysis of factors of QKD performance degradation in fiber-optic path is represented. Possible causes of variation in optical attenuation are considered and features are identified based on practical experience and results of experimental data. The simulation model for QKD system based on BB84 protocol taking into account optical path attenuation variation was proposed and results of simulation are represented.
The paper presents a study of the impact of optical path attenuation variation in fiber-optic communication lines on the operation of quantum key distribution systems. A review of quantum key distribution protocols is provided, and the key parameters determining the quality of a quantum key distribution system are considered: the secret key generation rate and the quantum bit error rate. An analysis of the main factors affecting the performance of quantum key distribution systems over fiberoptic lines is presented: attenuation, chromatic dispersion, polarization, and nonlinear effects. The paper presents the results of simulation modeling of the impact of attenuation increase on the operation of a quantum key distribution system, demonstrating the nature of variations in the quantum bit error rate and the secret key generation rate. The principles of a comprehensive approach to improvement of the performance and stability of quantum key distribution parameters when operating over existing fiber-optic lines are formulated.
In this research work, a simulator with time-domain visualizers and configurable parameters using a continuous time simulation approach with Matlab R2019a is presented for modeling and investigating the performance of optical fiber and free-space quantum channels as a part of a generic quantum key distribution system simulator. The modeled optical fiber quantum channel is characterized with a maximum allowable distance of 150 km with 0.2 dB/km at =1550nm. While, at =900nm and =830nm the attenuation values are 2 dB/km and 3 dB/km respectively. The modeled free space quantum channel is characterized at 0.1 dB/km at =860 nm with maximum allowable distance of 150 km also. The simulator was investigated in terms of the execution of the BB84 protocol based on polarizing encoding with consideration of the optical fiber and free-space quantum channel imperfections and losses by estimating the quantum bit error rate and final secure key. This work shows a general repeatable modeling process for significant performance evaluation. The most remarkable result that emerged from the simulated data generated and detected is that the modeling process provides guidance for optical quantum channels design and characterization for other quantum key distribution protocols.
The quantum cryptography has been concerned in worldwide after invention.Since it is the only way that can be proved to ensure the secure communication.The rapid development of quantum information technology makes quantum key distribution goes into the practical application from the theoretical research.For studying how the devices in practical quantum key distribution system based on the BB84 protocol effect the key distribution efficiency and improve the key distribution rate,a theoretic model relative to the system was represented,researched the parameter effects the key distribution efficiency.It was shown by the simulation that average photon number in the photon source and the length of optical fiber are the key parameters that affect the system rate.The work is useful for further improving the system efficiency.
The traditional quantum key distribution protocol was combined with the entanglement of the entangled photon pairs, and an improved BB84 protocol, the entangled photon pairs-based BB84 protocol, was put forward. In order to examine the feasibility of the improved protocol, the paper simulated its validity and security by using the quantum computation language (QCL).And the effect of channel attenuation on the protocol was taken into account. The result of the simulation shows that: in an ideal way, the efficiency of QKD is 14/30 in the security, which is nearly to the theoretical value 50%; if there is listener-in, the efficiency of QKD is only 5/30, which is much less than the 50%.Because of the channel fading, the actual efficiency of QKD is much less than the theoretical value. It is concluded that: entangled photon pairs-based BB84 protocol is an utterly secure and feasible quantum key distribution protocol; people should do the best to reduce the fading of the channel so that the efficiency of QKD could be raised. The application of the protocol is prospected in the end of the paper.
We devoted to analyzing information transfer in quantum channels in terms of the performance of quantum key distribution (QKD) free-space optical (FSO) communication systems through Bennett and Brassard 84 (BB84) protocol by taking into account the combined effect of attenuation, turbulence, pointing error, and angle of arrival (AOA) fluctuations. Path loss is modeled by Beer-Lambert law, and the turbulent channel is assumed to be Fisher-Snedecor F distributed. The pointing error and AOA fluctuations are modeled by Hoyt and Rayleigh distributions, respectively. The error and sift probabilities, quantum bit error rate, and secret key rate of a QKD FSO system are obtained in analytical form, and results are presented depending on various parameters. It is shown that increased beam waist, beam deviation, AOA fluctuations, and propagation distance cause performance degradation and less secure information transmission. However, an increase in the ratio of horizontal and vertical beam misalignments, field of view, average photon number per pulse, visibility of the atmospheric environment, and optical beam wavelength impact the performance of QKD FSO systems positively. The effect of the turbulence structure constant is observed to be modest on the performance of the QKD FSO system.