3,350 research outputs found
Security of quantum key distribution protocols using two-way classical communication or weak coherent pulses
We apply the techniques introduced in [Kraus et. al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 95,
080501, 2005] to prove security of quantum key distribution (QKD) schemes using
two-way classical post-processing as well as QKD schemes based on weak coherent
pulses instead of single-photon pulses. As a result, we obtain improved bounds
on the secret-key rate of these schemes
Unconditionally secure key distillation from multi-photons
In this paper, we prove that the unconditionally secure key can be
surprisingly extracted from {\it multi}-photon emission part in the photon
polarization-based QKD. One example is shown by explicitly proving that one can
indeed generate an unconditionally secure key from Alice's two-photon emission
part in ``Quantum cryptography protocols robust against photon number splitting
attacks for weak laser pulses implementations'' proposed by V. Scarani {\it et
al.,} in Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 92}, 057901 (2004), which is called SARG04. This
protocol uses the same four states as in BB84 and differs only in the classical
post-processing protocol. It is, thus, interesting to see how the classical
post-processing of quantum key distribution might qualitatively change its
security. We also show that one can generate an unconditionally secure key from
the single to the four-photon part in a generalized SARG04 that uses six
states. Finally, we also compare the bit error rate threshold of these
protocols with the one in BB84 and the original six-state protocol assuming a
depolarizing channel.Comment: The title has changed again. We considerably improved our
presentation, and furthermore we proposed & analyzed a security of a modified
SARG04 protocol, which uses six state
A simple proof of the unconditional security of quantum key distribution
Quantum key distribution is the most well-known application of quantum
cryptography. Previous proposed proofs of security of quantum key distribution
contain various technical subtleties. Here, a conceptually simpler proof of
security of quantum key distribution is presented. The new insight is the
invariance of the error rate of a teleportation channel: We show that the error
rate of a teleportation channel is independent of the signals being
transmitted. This is because the non-trivial error patterns are permuted under
teleportation. This new insight is combined with the recently proposed quantum
to classical reduction theorem. Our result shows that assuming that Alice and
Bob have fault-tolerant quantum computers, quantum key distribution can be made
unconditionally secure over arbitrarily long distances even against the most
general type of eavesdropping attacks and in the presence of all types of
noises.Comment: 13 pages, extended abstract. Comments will be appreciate
Beating the PNS attack in practical quantum cryptography
In practical quantum key distribution, weak coherent state is often used and
the channel transmittance can be very small therefore the protocol could be
totally insecure under the photon-number-splitting attack. We propose an
efficient method to verify the upper bound of the fraction of counts caused by
multi-photon pluses transmitted from Alice to Bob, given whatever type of Eve's
action. The protocol simply uses two coherent states for the signal pulses and
vacuum for decoy pulse. Our verified upper bound is sufficiently tight for QKD
with very lossy channel, in both asymptotic case and non-asymptotic case. The
coherent states with mean photon number from 0.2 to 0.5 can be used in
practical quantum cryptography. We show that so far our protocol is the
decoy-state protocol that really works for currently existing set-ups.Comment: So far this is the unique decoy-state protocol which really works
efficiently in practice. Prior art results are commented in both main context
and the Appendi
A decoy-state protocol for quantum cryptography with 4 intensities of coherent states
In order to beat any type of photon-number-splitting attack, we propose a
protocol for quantum key distributoin (QKD) using 4 different intensities of
pulses. They are vacuum and coherent states with mean photon number
and . is around 0.55 and this class of pulses are used as the
main signal states. The other two classes of coherent states () are
also used signal states but their counting rates should be studied jointly with
the vacuum. We have shown that, given the typical set-up in practice, the key
rate from the main signal pulses is quite close to the theoretically allowed
maximal rate in the case given the small overall transmittance of
Secure and efficient decoy-state quantum key distribution with inexact pulse intensities
We present a general theorem for the efficient verification of the lower
bound of single-photon transmittance. We show how to do decoy-state quantum key
distribution efficiently with large random errors in the intensity control. In
our protocol, the linear terms of fluctuation disappear and only the quadratic
terms take effect. We then show the unconditional security of decoy-state
method with whatever error pattern in intensities of decoy pulses and signal
pulses provided that the intensity of each decoy pulse is less than and
the intensity of each signal pulse is larger than
The extent of NGC 6822 revealed by its C stars population
Using the CFH12K camera, we apply the four band photometric technique to
identify 904 carbon stars in an area 28' x 42' centered on NGC 6822. A few C
stars, outside of this area were also discovered with the Las Campanas Swope
Telescope. The NGC 6822 C star population has an average I of 19.26 mag leading
to an average absolute I magnitude of
-4.70 mag, a value essentially identical to the mean magnitude obtained for
the C stars in IC 1613. Contrary to stars highlighting the optical image of NGC
6822, C stars are seen at large radial distances and trace a huge slightly
elliptical halo which do not coincide with the huge HI cloud surrounding
NGC6822. The previously unknown stellar component of NGC 6822 has a exponential
scale length of 3.0' +/- 0.1' and can be traced to five scale lengths. The C/M
ratio of NGC 6822 is evaluated to br 1.0 +/- 0.2.Comment: accepted, to be published in A
On the performance of two protocols: SARG04 and BB84
We compare the performance of BB84 and SARG04, the later of which was
proposed by V. Scarani et al., in Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 057901 (2004).
Specifically, in this paper, we investigate SARG04 with two-way classical
communications and SARG04 with decoy states. In the first part of the paper, we
show that SARG04 with two-way communications can tolerate a higher bit error
rate (19.4% for a one-photon source and 6.56% for a two-photon source) than
SARG04 with one-way communications (10.95% for a one-photon source and 2.71%
for a two-photon source). Also, the upper bounds on the bit error rate for
SARG04 with two-way communications are computed in a closed form by considering
an individual attack based on a general measurement. In the second part of the
paper, we propose employing the idea of decoy states in SARG04 to obtain
unconditional security even when realistic devices are used. We compare the
performance of SARG04 with decoy states and BB84 with decoy states. We find
that the optimal mean-photon number for SARG04 is higher than that of BB84 when
the bit error rate is small. Also, we observe that SARG04 does not achieve a
longer secure distance and a higher key generation rate than BB84, assuming a
typical experimental parameter set.Comment: 48 pages, 10 figures, 1 column, changed Figs. 7 and
Quantum Communication and Computing With Atomic Ensembles Using Light-Shift Imbalance Induced Blockade
Recently, we have shown that for conditions under which the so-called
light-shift imbalance induced blockade (LSIIB) occurs, the collective
excitation of an ensemble of a multi-level atom can be treated as a closed two
level system. In this paper, we describe how such a system can be used as a
quantum bit (qubit) for quantum communication and quantum computing.
Specifically, we show how to realize a C-NOT gate using the collective qubit
and an easily accessible ring cavity, via an extension of the so-called
Pellizzari scheme. We also describe how multiple, small-scale quantum computers
realized using these qubits can be linked effectively for implementing a
quantum internet. We describe the details of the energy levels and transitions
in 87Rb atom that could be used for implementing these schemes.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures. Accepted in Phys. Rev.
Multi-qubit compensation sequences
The Hamiltonian control of n qubits requires precision control of both the
strength and timing of interactions. Compensation pulses relax the precision
requirements by reducing unknown but systematic errors. Using composite pulse
techniques designed for single qubits, we show that systematic errors for n
qubit systems can be corrected to arbitrary accuracy given either two
non-commuting control Hamiltonians with identical systematic errors or one
error-free control Hamiltonian. We also examine composite pulses in the context
of quantum computers controlled by two-qubit interactions. For quantum
computers based on the XY interaction, single-qubit composite pulse sequences
naturally correct systematic errors. For quantum computers based on the
Heisenberg or exchange interaction, the composite pulse sequences reduce the
logical single-qubit gate errors but increase the errors for logical two-qubit
gates.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures; corrected reference formattin
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