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The security of quantum key distribution (QKD) is based on the basic principles of quantum mechanics, and therefore has unconditional security in theory. In existing quantum key distribution systems, weakly coherent sources (WCSs) are often used as light sources due to a high probability of vacuum pulses in these sources, resulting in limited transmission distances. Besides, there inevitably exist equipment defects in actual QKD systems, such as certain defects in phase modulators and intensity modulators, which lead to distinguishability of quantum states in higher dimensions and result in side-channel vulnerabilities. An eavesdropper can carry out corresponding attacks, thereby threatening the actual security of QKD systems. To overcome the above limitations, we propose an improved protocol on quantum key distribution based on monitoring heralded single-photon sources. Due to the simultaneity of parametric down-conversion photon pairs, we can accurately predict the arrival of one photon by measuring the arrival time of another photon. Through this way, we can greatly reduce the probability of vacuum states in the signal light, and increase the longest transmission distance of the QKD system. Moreover, a light source monitoring module is inserted into the sender’s side. By randomly selecting a certain period of time through the source monitoring module to measure the Hong-Ou-Mandel interference between the signal light and the idle light , we can estimate the side-channel information leakage of the source and then obtain the key generation rate. Compared with the QKD protocol based on monitoring weak coherent sources, our present protocol can give a better performance in either the transmission distance or the key generation rate, especially when the interference error is large. In addition, in principle, our present protocol can also be extended to other quantum key distribution protocols, such as the measurement-device-independent protocols, to further improve the security and practicability of QKD systems. Therefore, our present work can provide valuable references for realizing the large-scale application of quantum communication networks in the near future. -
Keywords:
- quantum key distribution /
- Hong-Ou-Mandel interference /
- source monitoring /
- heralded single-photon source
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Google Scholar
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Google Scholar
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图 1 基于监控标记单光子源的QKD实验装置结构示意图
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of QKD experimental device structure based on monitoring marker single photon source.
图 2 不同干涉误差下基于监控HSPS协议和基于监控WCS协议的密钥率对比
Figure 2. Comparison of the key rates based on monitoring HSPS protocol and monitoring WCS protocol under different interference errors.
图 3 不同干涉误差下基于监控HSPS协议和基于监控WCS协议的平均误码率对比
Figure 3. Comparison of the average bit error rates between monitoring HSPS protocol and monitoring WCS protocol under different interference errors.
图 4 不同干涉误差下基于监控HSPS协议和基于监控WCS协议的信号光平均增益对比
Figure 4. Comparison of the average gain of signal light between monitoring HSPS protocol and monitoring WCS protocol under different interference errors.
表 1 基于监控标记单光子源的量子密钥分发协议仿真使用的参数列表
Table 1. List of the parameters used in the source monitoring quantum key distribution protocol based on heralded single photon source.
N α/(dB·km–1) dA ηA Y0 ed ηB 1010 0.2 10–6 0.75 6.02×10–6 0.015 0.145 
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[1] Bennett C H, Brassard G 1984 Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Computers, System and Signal Processing (Vol. 1 of 3) (Bangalore: IEEE) p175
[2] Shannon C E 1949 Bell Syst. Tech. J. 28 656
Google Scholar
[3] Bennett C H, Brassard G, Mermin N D 1992 Phys. Rev. Lett. 68 557
Google Scholar
[4] Lo H K, Curty M, Qi B 2012 Phys. Rev. Lett. 108 130503
Google Scholar
[5] Lucamarini M, Yuan Z L, Dynes J F, Shields A J 2018 Nature 557 400
Google Scholar
[6] Zeng P, Zhou H Y, Wu W J, Ma X F 2022 Nat. Commun. 13 3903
Google Scholar
[7] Xie Y M, Lu Y S, Weng C X, Cao X Y, Jia Z Y, Bao Y, Wang Y, Fu Yao, Yin H L, Chen Z B 2022 PRX Quantum 3 020315
Google Scholar
[8] Tamaki K, Curty M, Lucamarini M 2016 New J. Phys. 18 065008
Google Scholar
[9] Xu F H, Wei K J, Sajeed S, Kaiser S, Sun S, Tang Z Y, Qian L, Makarov V, Lo H K 2015 Phys. Rev. A 92 032305
Google Scholar
[10] Sun S H, Gao M, Jiang M S, Li C Y, Liang L M 2012 Phys. Rev. A 85 032304
Google Scholar
[11] Nauerth S, Fürst M, Schmitt-Manderbach T, Weier H, Weinfurter H 2009 New J. Phys. 11 065001
Google Scholar
[12] Comandar L, Lucamarini M, Fröhlich B, Dynes J F, Yuan Z L, Shields A J 2016 Opt. Express 24 17849
Google Scholar
[13] Mauerer W, Avenhaus, Helwig W, Silberhorn C 2009 Phys. Rev. A 80 053815
Google Scholar
[14] Faruque I I, Sinclair G F, Bonneau D, Ono T, Silberhorn C, Thompson M G, Rarity J G 2019 Phys. Rev. Appl. 12 054029
Google Scholar
[15] Wang J, Zhang C H, Liu J Y, Qian X R, Li J, Wang Q 2021 Chin. Phys. B 30 070304
Google Scholar
[16] Zhou X Y, Zhang C H, Zhang C M, Wang Q 2017 Phys. Rev. A 96 052337
Google Scholar
[17] Zhang C H, Zhang C M, Wang Q 2019 Phys. Rev. A 99 052325
Google Scholar
[18] Alexander D, Denis S 2021 Phys. Rev. A 104 012601
Google Scholar
[19] Wang Q, Wang X B, Guo G C 2007 Phys. Rev. A 75 012312
Google Scholar
[20] Ma Z, Zhang F L, Chen J L 2009 Phys. Lett. A 373 3407
Google Scholar
[21] Wang X B 2005 Phys. Rev. Lett. 94 230503
Google Scholar
[22] Lo H K, Ma X F, Chen K 2005 Phys. Rev. Lett. 94 230504
Google Scholar
[23] Tomamichel M, Lim C C W, Gisin N, Renner R 2012 Nat. Commun. 3 634
Google Scholar
[24] Lucamarini M, Choi I, Ward M B, Dynes J F, Yuan Z L, Shields A J 2015 Phys. Rev. X 5 031030
Google Scholar
[25] Sun M S, Wang W L, Zhou X Y, Zhang C H, Wang Q 2023 Phys. Rev. Res. 5 043179
Google Scholar
[26] Zhan X H, Zhong Z Q, Wang S, Yin Z Q, Chen W, He D Y, Guo G C, Han Z F 2023 Phys. Rev. Appl. 20 034069
Google Scholar
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