762 research outputs found
Experimental investigation of high-dimensional quantum key distribution protocols with twisted photons
Quantum key distribution is on the verge of real world applications, where
perfectly secure information can be distributed among multiple parties. Several
quantum cryptographic protocols have been theoretically proposed and
independently realized in different experimental conditions. Here, we develop
an experimental platform based on high-dimensional orbital angular momentum
states of single photons that enables implementation of multiple quantum key
distribution protocols with a single experimental apparatus. Our versatile
approach allows us to experimentally survey different classes of quantum key
distribution techniques, such as the 1984 Bennett \& Brassard (BB84),
tomographic protocols including the six-state and the Singapore protocol, and
to investigate, for the first time, a recently introduced differential phase
shift (Chau15) protocol using twisted photons. This enables us to
experimentally compare the performance of these techniques and discuss their
benefits and deficiencies in terms of noise tolerance in different dimensions.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl
Detector decoy quantum key distribution
Photon number resolving detectors can enhance the performance of many
practical quantum cryptographic setups. In this paper, we employ a simple
method to estimate the statistics provided by such a photon number resolving
detector using only a threshold detector together with a variable attenuator.
This idea is similar in spirit to that of the decoy state technique, and is
specially suited for those scenarios where only a few parameters of the photon
number statistics of the incoming signals have to be estimated. As an
illustration of the potential applicability of the method in quantum
communication protocols, we use it to prove security of an entanglement based
quantum key distribution scheme with an untrusted source without the need of a
squash model and by solely using this extra idea. In this sense, this detector
decoy method can be seen as a different conceptual approach to adapt a single
photon security proof to its physical, full optical implementation. We show
that in this scenario the legitimate users can now even discard the double
click events from the raw key data without compromising the security of the
scheme, and we present simulations on the performance of the BB84 and the
6-state quantum key distribution protocols.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figure
A Talk on Quantum Cryptography, or How Alice Outwits Eve
Alice and Bob wish to communicate without the archvillainess Eve
eavesdropping on their conversation. Alice, decides to take two college
courses, one in cryptography, the other in quantum mechanics. During the
courses, she discovers she can use what she has just learned to devise a
cryptographic communication system that automatically detects whether or not
Eve is up to her villainous eavesdropping. Some of the topics discussed are
Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, the Vernam cipher, the BB84 and B92
cryptographic protocols. The talk ends with a discussion of some of Eve's
possible eavesdropping strategies, opaque eavesdropping, translucent
eavesdropping, and translucent eavesdropping with entanglement.Comment: 31 pages, 8 figures. Revised version of a paper published in "Coding
Theory, and Cryptography: From Geheimscheimschreiber and Enigma to Quantum
Theory," (edited by David Joyner), Springer-Verlag, 1999 (pp. 144-174). To be
published with the permission of Springer-Verlag in an AMS PSAPM Short Course
volume entitled "Quantum Computation.
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