Generalized decoding, effective channels, and simplified security proofs in quantum key distribution

Journal Article · Tue Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.74.022317· OSTI ID:20853034

Renes, Joseph M ^[1]; Grassl, Markus ^[1]

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1. IAKS Prof. Beth, Arbeitsgruppe Quantum Computing, Universitaet Karlsruhe, Am Fasanengarten 5, D-76131 Karlsruhe (Germany)

Prepare and measure quantum key distribution protocols can be decomposed into two basic steps: delivery of the signals over a quantum channel and distillation of a secret key from the signal and measurement records by classical processing and public communication. Here we formalize the distillation process for a general protocol in a purely quantum-mechanical framework and demonstrate that it can be viewed as creating an 'effective' quantum channel between the legitimate users Alice and Bob. The process of secret key generation can then be viewed as entanglement distribution using this channel, which enables application of entanglement-based security proofs to essentially any prepare and measure protocol. To ensure secrecy of the key, Alice and Bob must be able to estimate the channel noise from errors in the key, and we further show how symmetries of the distillation process simplify this task. Applying this method, we prove the security of several key distribution protocols based on equiangular spherical codes.

• OSTI ID: 20853034
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 74; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
DATA PROCESSING
DATA TRANSMISSION
DISTRIBUTION
ERRORS
INFORMATION THEORY
NOISE
QUANTUM CRYPTOGRAPHY
QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SECRECY PROTECTION
SIGNALS
SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION
SYMMETRY