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Title: Characterization of photon statistics in a single-photon source via variable attenuation

Journal Article · · Physical Review. A
 [1]; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China (CAS), Hefei 230026 (China)
  2. Electronic Technology Institute, Information Engineering University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450004 (China)

We propose a simple but effective scheme for characterizing photon-number statistics of a practical single-photon source. In this scheme, the variable attenuation method which frequently appears in decoy state quantum cryptography is utilized here to enhance the estimation of photon-number statistics. A much stricter bound for vacuum and single-photon proportions is obtained and this result, in turn, is shown to be applicable to the unconditional secure quantum cryptographic communication with single-photon devices.

OSTI ID:
21316473
Journal Information:
Physical Review. A, Vol. 80, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.80.043807; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English