scholarly journals Airborne quantum key distribution with boundary layer effects

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Cun Yu ◽  
Bang-Ying Tang ◽  
Huan Chen ◽  
Yang Xue ◽  
Jie Tang ◽  
...  

AbstractWith the substantial progress of terrestrial fiber-based quantum networks and satellite-based quantum nodes, airborne quantum key distribution (QKD) is now becoming a flexible bond between terrestrial fiber and satellite, which is an efficient solution to establish a mobile, on-demand, and real-time coverage quantum network. However, the random distributed boundary layer is always surrounded to the surface of the aircraft when the flight speed larger than 0.3 Ma, which would introduce random wavefront aberration, jitter and extra intensity attenuation to the transmitted photons. In this article, we propose a performance evaluation scheme of airborne QKD with boundary layer effects. The analyzed results about the photon deflection angle and wavefront aberration effects, show that the aero-optical effects caused by the boundary layer can not be ignored, which would heavily decrease the final secure key rate. In our proposed airborne QKD scenario, the boundary layer would introduce ∼3.5 dB loss to the transmitted photons and decrease ∼70.9% of the secure key rate. With tolerated quantum bit error rate set to 8%, the suggested quantum communication azimuth angle between the aircraft and the ground station is within 55∘. Furthermore, the optimal beacon laser module and adaptive optics module are suggested to be employed, to improve the performance of airborne QKD system. Our detailed airborne QKD performance evaluation study can be performed to the future airborne quantum communication designs.

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-44
Author(s):  
Adil Fadhil Mushatet ◽  
Shelan Khasro Tawfeeq

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Avesani ◽  
L. Calderaro ◽  
M. Schiavon ◽  
A. Stanco ◽  
C. Agnesi ◽  
...  

AbstractThe future envisaged global-scale quantum-communication network will comprise various nodes interconnected via optical fibers or free-space channels, depending on the link distance. The free-space segment of such a network should guarantee certain key requirements, such as daytime operation and the compatibility with the complementary telecom-based fiber infrastructure. In addition, space-to-ground links will require the capability of designing light and compact quantum devices to be placed in orbit. For these reasons, investigating available solutions matching all the above requirements is still necessary. Here we present a full prototype for daylight quantum key distribution at 1550 nm exploiting an integrated silicon-photonics chip as state encoder. We tested our prototype in the urban area of Padua (Italy) over a 145 m-long free-space link, obtaining a quantum bit error rate around 0.5% and an averaged secret key rate of 30 kbps during a whole sunny day (from 11:00 to 20:00). The developed chip represents a cost-effective solution for portable free-space transmitters and a promising resource to design quantum optical payloads for future satellite missions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 2150156
Author(s):  
Tianqi Dou ◽  
Hongwei Liu ◽  
Jipeng Wang ◽  
Zhenhua Li ◽  
Wenxiu Qu ◽  
...  

Quantum communication plays an important role in quantum information science due to its unconditional security. In practical implementations, the users of each communication vary with the transmitted information, and hence not all users are required to participate in each communication round. Therefore, improving the flexibility and efficiency of the actual communication process is highly demanded. Here, we propose a theoretical quantum communication scheme that realizes secret key distribution for both the two-party quantum key distribution (QKD) and multi-party quantum secret sharing (QSS) modes. The sender, Alice, can freely select one or more users to share keys among all users, and nonactive users will not participate in the process of secret key sharing. Numerical simulations show the superiority of the proposed scheme in transmission distance and secure key rate. Consequently, the proposed scheme is valuable for secure quantum communication network scenarios.


Entropy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 1393
Author(s):  
Andrei Gaidash ◽  
Anton Kozubov ◽  
Svetlana Medvedeva ◽  
George Miroshnichenko

In this paper, we consider the influence of a divergence of polarization of a quantum signal transmitted through an optical fiber channel on the quantum bit error rate of the subcarrier wave quantum key distribution protocol. Firstly, we investigate the dependence of the optical power of the signal on the modulation indices’ difference after the second phase modulation of the signal. Then we consider the Liouville equation with regard to relaxation in order to develop expressions of the dynamics of the Stokes parameters. As a result, we propose a model that describes quantum bit error rate for the subcarrier wave quantum key distribution depending on the characteristics of the optical fiber. Finally, we propose several methods for minimizing quantum bit error rate.


2012 ◽  
pp. 13-19
Author(s):  
Riaz Ahmad Qamar ◽  
Mohd Aizaini Maarof ◽  
Subariah Ibrahim

A quantum key distribution protocol(QKD), known as BB84, was developed in 1984 by Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard. The protocol works in two phases which are quantum state transmission and conventional post processing. In the first phase of BB84, raw key elements are distributed between two legitimate users by sending encoded photons through quantum channel whilst in the second phase, a common secret-key is obtained from correlated raw key elements by exchanging messages through a public channel e.g.; network or internet. The secret-key so obtained is used for cryptography purpose. Reconciliation is a compulsory part of post processing and hence of quantum key distribution protocol. The performance of a reconciliation protocol depends on the generation rate of common secret-key, number of bits disclosed and the error probability in common secrete-key. These characteristics of a protocol can be achieved by using a less interactive reconciliation protocol which can handle a higher initial quantum bit error rate (QBER). In this paper, we use a simple Bose, Chaudhuri, Hocquenghem (BCH) error correction algorithm with simplified syndrome table to achieve an efficient reconciliation protocol which can handle a higher quantum bit error rate and outputs a common key with zero error probability. The proposed protocol efficient in removing errors such that it can remove all errors even if QBER is 60%. Assuming the post processing channel is an authenticated binary symmetric channel (BSC).


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Wang ◽  
Yongli Zhao ◽  
Avishek Nag

As an important support for quantum communication, quantum key distribution (QKD) networks have achieved a relatively mature level of development, and they face higher requirements for multi-user end-to-end networking capabilities. Thus, QKD networks need an effective management plane to control and coordinate with the QKD resources. As a promising technology, software defined networking (SDN) can separate the control and management of QKD networks from the actual forwarding of the quantum keys. This paper systematically introduces QKD networks enabled by SDN, by elaborating on its overall architecture, related interfaces, and protocols. Then, three-use cases are provided as important paradigms with their corresponding schemes and simulation performances.


Author(s):  
Jonathan C Denton ◽  
Douglas D Hodson ◽  
Richard G Cobb ◽  
Logan O Mailloux ◽  
Michael R Grimaila ◽  
...  

This work presents a model to estimate the performance of space-based, optical-based, quantum communication protocols. This model consists of components to account for optical channel propagation effects based on orbit selection and atmospheric conditions. The model presented is general purpose and can be leveraged to evaluate the performance of a variety of quantum communication protocols, of which, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems served as our motivating use case of particular interest. To verify correctness, the model is used to produce estimates for QKD system scenarios and compared to published results. The performance of QKD systems is of interest as distance limitations for terrestrial-based systems have hindered their practical use, and satellite-based designs that can generate a shared key between two distant geographic locations have been proposed. For this application domain, a review of space-based designs that illuminate the need for a free space downlink channel model is presented followed by its development to estimate the performance of quantum exchanges between a satellite and ground site.


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