Detector-device-independent quantum key distribution: Security analysis and fast implementation

Journal Article · Sun Aug 14 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4960093· OSTI ID:22597696

Boaron, Alberto; Korzh, Boris; Boso, Gianluca; Martin, Anthony; Zbinden, Hugo ^[1]; Houlmann, Raphael ^[1]; Lim, Charles Ci Wen ^[2]

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1. Group of Applied Physics, University of Geneva, Chemin de Pinchat 22, CH-1211 Geneva 4 (Switzerland)
2. Quantum Information Science Group, Computational Sciences and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6418 (United States)

One of the most pressing issues in quantum key distribution (QKD) is the problem of detector side-channel attacks. To overcome this problem, researchers proposed an elegant “time-reversal” QKD protocol called measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD), which is based on time-reversed entanglement swapping. However, MDI-QKD is more challenging to implement than standard point-to-point QKD. Recently, an intermediary QKD protocol called detector-device-independent QKD (DDI-QKD) has been proposed to overcome the drawbacks of MDI-QKD, with the hope that it would eventually lead to a more efficient detector side-channel-free QKD system. Here, we analyze the security of DDI-QKD and elucidate its security assumptions. We find that DDI-QKD is not equivalent to MDI-QKD, but its security can be demonstrated with reasonable assumptions. On the more practical side, we consider the feasibility of DDI-QKD and present a fast experimental demonstration (clocked at 625 MHz), capable of secret key exchange up to more than 90 km.

• OSTI ID: 22597696
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 120, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DISTRIBUTION
EQUIPMENT
IMPLEMENTATION
MHZ RANGE 100-1000
PRESSING
QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT
SECURITY