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arXiv:physics/0611057 · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE

Homodyne detection for quantum key distribution: an alternative to photon counting in BB84 protocol

M. B. Costa e Silva, Qing Xu, S. Agnolini, Philippe B. Gallion, Francisco Javier Mendieta

Published Sep 11, 2006• 7 citations
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Abstract

This paper presents the principles and experimental results of an optical fiber QKD system operating at 1550 nm, and using the BB84 protocol with QPSK signals. Our experimental setup consists of a time-multiplexed super-homodyne configuration using P.I.N detectors in a differential scheme as an alternative to avalanche photon counting. Transmission over 11km of optical fiber has been done using this detection scheme and major relevant characteristics such as noise, quantum efficiency and bit error rate (BER) are reported.

DOI
10.1117/12.707785

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This paper presents the principles and experimental results of an optical fiber QKD system operating at 1550 nm, and using the BB84 protocol with QPSK signals. Our experimental setup consists of a time-multiplexed super-homodyne configuration using P.I.N detectors in a differential scheme as an alternative to avalanche photon counting. Transmission over 11km of optical fiber has been done using this detection scheme and major relevant characteristics such as noise, quantum efficiency and bit error rate (BER) are reported.
We present a flexible quantum key distribution (QKD) system implementation using quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) encoding. Two detection techniques are implemented and compared: a photon counting detection scheme using single photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) and a dual-threshold balanced homodyne detection (BHD) using standard PIN diodes in which the weak signal is time-multiplexed with a strong reference. The interferometer instability and the system phase fluctuations are compensated by an optoelectronic feedback loop that allows an automatic continuous operation. We compare the QKD system performance for both schemes in terms of BER and key generation efficiency. Finally, we analyze the BHD QKD system security under the potential individual intercept-resend attack and the intermediate-base attack.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a potential defense against future quantum attacks that can break traditional encryption algorithms, such as RSA and ECC. The current work is based on the development of the BB84 protocol with the features of utilizing quantum mechanics and eavesdropping detection through signal disturbance. A simulation of the BB84 protocol was built using polarization encoding over a 10 km single-mode optical fiber using OptiSystem software. The system consists of standard telecom equipment, such as a continuous wave laser at a frequency of 193.1 THz, polarization controllers, and single-photon detectors. Both secure and insecure cases were simulated, where an attacker (Eve) had used an intercept-resend attack. The outcome showed significant Bit Error Rate (BER) and Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER) increases during attacks, thus proving the protocol's vulnerability to interference. In addition, a special intrusion detection system based on BER was used to identify such anomalies in real-time. The simulation illustrates the feasibility of using QKD in today's optical networks to secure communications.
We report an experimental quantum key distribution that utilizes pulsed homodyne detection, instead of photon counting, to detect weak pulses of coherent light. Although our scheme inherently has a finite error rate, homodyne detection allows high-efficiency detection and quantum state measurement of the transmitted light using only conventional devices at room temperature. Our prototype system works at $1.55\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ wavelength and the quantum channel is a 1-km standard optical fiber. The probability distribution of the measured electric-field amplitude has a Gaussian shape. The effect of experimental imperfections such as optical loss and detector noise can be parametrized by the variance and the mean value of the Gaussian distribution.