Abstract Quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) enables the direct transmission of secret messages over a quantum channel without prior key sharing. QSDC implemented in the continuous-variable (CV) regime allows high-capacity information transmission using simple optical communication technologies. In this work, we propose a novel CV-QSDC protocol with a quantum one-time pad, which achieves secure message transmission based on coherent states and unitary operations, and the receiver can directly obtain the secret messages after measuring the coherent states. The security of this protocol is jointly guaranteed by one-time pad encryption and a CV quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol. Performance analysis shows that the proposed scheme can achieve a quantum bit error rate (QBER) lower than 1% by adjusting the modulation variance and unitary operation parameters. With the optimal modulation variance, the secure transmission distance of the proposed protocol can exceed 150 km.
Abstract Quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) enables the direct transmission of secret messages over a quantum channel without prior key sharing. QSDC implemented in the continuous-variable (CV) regime allows high-capacity information transmission using simple optical communication technologies. In this work, we propose a novel CV-QSDC protocol with a quantum one-time pad, which achieves secure message transmission based on coherent states and unitary operations, and the receiver can directly obtain the secret messages after measuring the coherent states. The security of this protocol is jointly guaranteed by one-time pad encryption and a CV quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol. Performance analysis shows that the proposed scheme can achieve a quantum bit error rate (QBER) lower than 1% by adjusting the modulation variance and unitary operation parameters. With the optimal modulation variance, the secure transmission distance of the proposed protocol can exceed 150 km.
Quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) realizes the transmission of secret messages directly in a quantum channel. A continuous-variable- (CV) based quantum-communication system allows high-speed, large-capacity information transmission in optical telecommunication systems. In this work, we propose a QSDC protocol based on Gaussian mapping. As for Gaussian modulation, the designed Gaussian-mapping scheme effectively solves the problem, which results from the nonuniformity of the secret-message bitstream, and is applicable to different modulation variances. The system performance analysis shows that the proposed scheme can realize inerrant Gaussian modulation of secret messages, and secure transmission of messages under information theory. Moreover, our work hopes to stimulate discussion on experimental realization and practical advance of CV-QSDC protocol.
Quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) is a recently developed practical solution, which transmits secret messages between legitimate parties, without setting up a cryptographic key. The QSDC protocols are mainly classified into entanglement-based and single photon-based approaches. Their security has been analyzed using Wyner's wiretap channel theory, and their secrecy capacity has been calculated [1]. Hitherto, QSDC protocols have been implemented on optical fiber and free-space channels, all in discrete-variable (DV) encoding that employs single-photon detectors [1]–[2]. However, the implementation of continuous-variable (CV) QSDC, in which the keys are encoded into the quadratures of quantized electromagnetic fields (e.g., coherent states) and detected via homodyne techniques, is preferred due to: its lower costs, excellent integrability with existing optical communication systems, easy implementation from state preparation to measurement, and fast experimental realization. Furthermore, it has been proved that CV-QSDC protocols using squeezed states show higher tolerance in purely lossy channels and enhanced robustness against highly noisy ones, as well [3]. Nevertheless, none of the CV-QSDC protocols employing either coherent or squeezed quantum states have been implemented yet.
Quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) can transmit secret messages without keys, making it an important branch of quantum communication. We present a hybrid entanglement-based quantum secure direct communication (HE-QSDC) protocol with simple linear optical elements, combining the benefits of both continuous variables (CV) and discrete variables (DV) encoding. We analyze the security and find that the QSDC protocol has a positive security capacity when the bit error rate is less than 0.073. Compared with previous DV QSDC protocols, our protocol has higher communication efficiency due to performing nearly deterministic Bell-state measurement. On the other hand, compared with CV QSDC protocol, this protocol has higher fidelity with large α. Based on these advantages, our protocol may provide an alternative approach to realize secure communication.
With the progress of theoretical and applied technologies, the communication system based on the classical encryption is seriously threatened by quantum computing and distributed computing. A communication method that directly loads confidential information on the quantum state, quantum secure direct communication (QSDC), came into being for resisting security threats. Here, we report the first continuous-variable QSDC (CV-QSDC) experimental demonstration for verifying the feasibility and effectiveness of the CV-QSDC protocol based on Gaussian mapping and propose a parameter estimation for signal classification under the actual channels. In our experiment, we provided 4 × 10 2 blocks, where each block contains 10 5 data for direct information transmission. For the transmission distance of 5 km in our experiment, the excess noise is 0.0035 SNU, where SNU represents the unit of shot-noise units. The 4.08 × 10 5 bit per second experimental results firmly demonstrated the feasibility of CV-QSDC under the fiber channel. The proposed grading judgment method based on parameter estimation provides a practical and available message processing scheme for CV-QSDC in a practical fiber channel and lays the groundwork for the grading reconciliation.
Continuous-variable quantum secure communication encoded by Gaussian mapping offers high-capacity and high transmission rates. For the theoretically secure encryption scheme of a 1-time pad, a highly reliable coherent-state quantum secure communication system has been established, and its security has been quantitatively evaluated using Wyner’s wiretap channel theory. We also propose an information reconstruction scheme based on multidimensional rotation to extract secret messages at low-to-medium signal-to-noise ratios. Meanwhile, to address the unbalanced optical path, we design a self-balanced homodyne detector based on a programmable gain amplifier, achieving an electronic noise variance of 1.624 × 10 − 7 V 2 and a bandwidth of 715 MHz. In 10-km optical fiber transmission, the system successfully achieved secure transmission of the dichroic image, processed 1,536 information blocks, each containing 2 10 continuous variables, with a block error rate of approximately 8.78 × 10 − 5 , and ultimately achieved the secrecy capacity of 2.44 × 10 5 bits per second.
Abstract Quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) is a communication method based on quantum mechanics and it is used to transmit secret messages. Unlike quantum key distribution, secret messages can be transmitted directly on a quantum channel with QSDC. Higher channel capacity and noise suppression capabilities are key to achieving long-distance quantum communication. Here, we report a continuous-variable QSDC scheme based on mask-coding and orbital angular momentum, in which the mask-coding is employed to protect the security of the transmitting messages and to suppress the influence of excess noise. The combination of orbital angular momentum and information block transmission effectively improves the secrecy capacity. In the 800 information blocks ×1310 bits length 10-km experiment, the results show a statistical average bit error rate of 0.38%, a system excess noise value of 0.0184 SNU, and a final secrecy capacity of 6.319 × 10 6 bps. Therefore, this scheme reduces error bits while increasing secrecy capacity, providing a solution for long-distance large-scale quantum communication, which is capable of transmitting text, images and other information of reasonable size.