scholarly journals Machine learning aided carrier recovery in continuous-variable quantum key distribution

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hou-Man Chin ◽  
Nitin Jain ◽  
Darko Zibar ◽  
Ulrik L. Andersen ◽  
Tobias Gehring

AbstractThe secret key rate of a continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) system is limited by excess noise. A key issue typical to all modern CV-QKD systems implemented with a reference or pilot signal and an independent local oscillator is controlling the excess noise generated from the frequency and phase noise accrued by the transmitter and receiver. Therefore accurate phase estimation and compensation, so-called carrier recovery, is a critical subsystem of CV-QKD. Here, we explore the implementation of a machine learning framework based on Bayesian inference, namely an unscented Kalman filter (UKF), for estimation of phase noise and compare it to a standard reference method and a previously demonstrated machine learning method. Experimental results obtained over a 20-km fibre-optic link indicate that the UKF can ensure very low excess noise even at low pilot powers. The measurements exhibited low variance and high stability in excess noise over a wide range of pilot signal to noise ratios. This may enable CV-QKD systems with low hardware implementation complexity which can seamlessly work on diverse transmission lines.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengjun Ren ◽  
Shuai Yang ◽  
Adrian Wonfor ◽  
Ian White ◽  
Richard Penty

AbstractWe present an experimental demonstration of the feasibility of the first 20 + Mb/s Gaussian modulated coherent state continuous variable quantum key distribution system with a locally generated local oscillator at the receiver (LLO-CVQKD). To increase the signal repetition rate, and hence the potential secure key rate, we equip our system with high-performance, wideband devices and design the components to support high repetition rate operation. We have successfully trialed the signal repetition rate as high as 500 MHz. To reduce the system complexity and correct for any phase shift during transmission, reference pulses are interleaved with quantum signals at Alice. Customized monitoring software has been developed, allowing all parameters to be controlled in real-time without any physical setup modification. We introduce a system-level noise model analysis at high bandwidth and propose a new ‘combined-optimization’ technique to optimize system parameters simultaneously to high precision. We use the measured excess noise, to predict that the system is capable of realizing a record 26.9 Mb/s key generation in the asymptotic regime over a 15 km signal mode fibre. We further demonstrate the potential for an even faster implementation.


2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (05) ◽  
pp. 1250059 ◽  
Author(s):  
MAOZHU SUN ◽  
XIANG PENG ◽  
YUJIE SHEN ◽  
HONG GUO

The original two-way continuous-variable quantum-key-distribution (CV-QKD) protocols [S. Pirandola, S. Mancini, S. Lloyd and S. L. Braunstein, Nat. Phys. 4 (2008) 726] give the security against the collective attack on the condition of the tomography of the quantum channels. We propose a family of new two-way CV-QKD protocols and prove their security against collective entangling cloner attacks without the tomography of the quantum channels. The simulation result indicates that the new protocols maintain the same advantage as the original two-way protocols whose tolerable excess noise surpasses that of the one-way CV-QKD protocol. We also show that all sub-protocols within the family have higher secret key rate and much longer transmission distance than the one-way CV-QKD protocol for the noisy channel.


2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (06) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiawei Li ◽  
Ying Guo ◽  
Xudong Wang ◽  
Cailang Xie ◽  
Ling Zhang ◽  
...  

Photonics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 511
Author(s):  
Duan Huang ◽  
Susu Liu ◽  
Ling Zhang

Quantum key distribution (QKD) offers information-theoretical security, while real systems are thought not to promise practical security effectively. In the practical continuous-variable (CV) QKD system, the deviations between realistic devices and idealized models might introduce vulnerabilities for eavesdroppers and stressors for two parties. However, the common quantum hacking strategies and countermeasures inevitably increase the complexity of practical CV systems. Machine-learning techniques are utilized to explore how to perceive practical imperfections. Here, we review recent works on secure CVQKD systems with machine learning, where the methods for detections and attacks were studied.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heng Wang ◽  
Yang Li ◽  
Yaodi Pi ◽  
Yan Pan ◽  
Yun Shao ◽  
...  

Abstract Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) has potential advantages of high secret key rate, which is very suitable for high-speed metropolitan network application. However, the reported highest secret key rates of the CVQKD systems up to now are limited in a few Mbps. Here, we address the fundamental experimental problems and demonstrate a single-carrier four-state CVQKD with sub-Gbps key rate within metropolitan area. In the demonstrated four-state CVQKD using local local oscillator, an ultra-low level of excess noise is obtained and a high efficient post-processing setup is designed for practically extracting the final secure keys. Thus, the achieved secure key rates are 190.54 Mbps and 137.76 Mbps and 52.48 Mbps using linear channel assuming security analysis method and 233.87 Mbps, 133.6 Mbps and 21.53 Mbps using semidefinite programming security analysis method over transmission distances of 5 km, 10 km and 25 km, respectively. This record-breaking result increases the previous secret key rate record by an order of magnitude, which is sufficient to achieve the one-time pad cryptographic task. Our work shows the road for future high-rate and large-scale CVQKD deployment in secure broadband metropolitan and access networks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhao ◽  
Ronghua Shi ◽  
Duan Huang

AbstractBy manipulating the reference pulses amplitude, a security vulnerability is caused by self-reference continuous-variable quantum key distribution. In this paper, we formalize an attack strategy for reference pulses, showing that the proposed attack can compromise the practical security of CVQKD protocol. In this scheme, before the beam splitter attack, Eve intercepts the reference pulses emitted by Alice, using Bayesian algorithm to estimate phase shifts. Subsequently, other reference pulses are re-prepared and resubmitted to Bob. In simulations, Bayesian algorithm effectively estimates the phase drifts and has the high robustness to noise. Therefore, the eavesdropper can bias the excess noise due to the intercept-resend attack and the beam splitter attack. And Alice and Bob believe that their excess noise is below the null key threshold and can still share a secret key. Consequently, the proposed attack shows that its practical security can be compromised by transmitting the reference pulses in the continuous-variable quantum key distribution protocol.


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