Fast optical source for quantum key distribution based on semiconductor
optical amplifiers

doi:10.1364/OE.19.003825

Fast optical source for quantum key distribution based on semiconductor optical amplifiers

M. Jofre, A. Gardelein, G. Anzolin, W. Amaya, J. Capmany, R. Ursin, L. Penate, D. Lopez, J. L. San Juan, J. A. Carrasco, F. Garcia, F. J. Torcal-Milla, L. M. Sanchez-Brea, E. Bernabeu, J. M. Perdigues, T. Jennewein, J. P. Torres, M. W. Mitchell, and V. Pruneri »View Author Affiliations

Optics Express, Vol. 19, Issue 5, pp. 3825-3834 (2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.003825

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Abstract

A novel integrated optical source capable of emitting faint pulses with different polarization states and with different intensity levels at 100 MHz has been developed. The source relies on a single laser diode followed by four semiconductor optical amplifiers and thin film polarizers, connected through a fiber network. The use of a single laser ensures high level of indistinguishability in time and spectrum of the pulses for the four different polarizations and three different levels of intensity. The applicability of the source is demonstrated in the lab through a free space quantum key distribution experiment which makes use of the decoy state BB84 protocol. We achieved a lower bound secure key rate of the order of 3.64 Mbps and a quantum bit error ratio as low as 1.14 × 10⁻² while the lower bound secure key rate became 187 bps for an equivalent attenuation of 35 dB. To our knowledge, this is the fastest polarization encoded QKD system which has been reported so far. The performance, reduced size, low power consumption and the fact that the components used can be space qualified make the source particularly suitable for secure satellite communication.

OCIS Codes
(060.2605) Fiber optics and optical communications : Free-space optical communication
(060.5565) Fiber optics and optical communications : Quantum communications
(270.5568) Quantum optics : Quantum cryptography

ToC Category:
Quantum Optics

History
Original Manuscript: October 7, 2010
Revised Manuscript: January 11, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: February 8, 2011
Published: February 14, 2011

Citation
M. Jofre, A. Gardelein, G. Anzolin, W. Amaya, J. Capmany, R. Ursin, L. Penate, D. Lopez, J. L. San Juan, J. A. Carrasco, F. Garcia, F. J. Torcal-Milla, L. M. Sanchez-Brea, E. Bernabeu, J. M. Perdigues, T. Jennewein, J. P. Torres, M. W. Mitchell, and V. Pruneri, "Fast optical source for quantum key distribution based on semiconductor optical amplifiers," Opt. Express 19, 3825-3834 (2011)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-19-5-3825

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References

C. H. Bennett, and G. Brassard, “Quantum cryptography: Public-key distribution and coin tossing,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conference on Computers, Systems and Signal Processing 175–179 (1984).
V. Scarani, S. Iblisdir, N. Gisin, and A. Acín, “Quantum cloning,” Rev. Mod. Phys. 77, 1225–1256 (2005).
C. H. Bennett, F. Bessette, G. Brassard, L. Salvail, and J. Smolin, “Experimental quantum cryptography,” J. Cryptology 5, 3–28 (1992).
W.-Y. Hwang, “Quantum key distribution with high loss: Toward global secure communication,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 057901 (2003). [PubMed]
H.-K. Lo, X. Ma, and K. Chen, “Decoy State Quantum Key Distribution,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 230504 (2005). [PubMed]
S. Nauerth, M. F¨urst, T. Schmitt-Manderbach, H. Weier, and H. Weinfurter, “Information leakage via side channels in freespace BB84 quantum cryptography,” N. J. Phys. 11, 065001 (2009).
D. Stucki, N. Walenta, F. Vannel, R. T. Thew, N. Gisin, H. Zbinden, S. Gray, C. R. Towery, and S. Ten, “High rate, long-distance quantum key distribution over 250 km of ultra low loss fibres,” N. J. Phys. 11, 075003 (2009).
T. Schmitt-Manderbach, H. Weier, M. Fürst, R. Ursin, F. Tiefenbacher, T. Scheidl, J. Perdigues, Z. Sodnik, C. Kurtsiefer, A. Rarity, J. G. Zeilinger, and H. Weinfurter, “Experimental Demonstration of Free-Space Decoy-State Quantum Key Distribution over 144 km,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 010504 (2007). [PubMed]
J. M. Perdigues, B. Furch, C. J. Matos, O. Minster, L. Cacciapuoti, M. Pfennigbauer, M. Aspelmeyer, T. Jennewein, R. Ursin, T. Schmitt-Manderbach, G. Baister, J. Rarity, W. Leeb, C. Barbieri, H. Weinfurter, and A. Zeilinger, “Quantum communications at ESA: Towards a space experiment on the ISS,” Acta Astronaut. 63, 165–178 (2008).
R. Ursin, T. Jennewein, J. Kofler, J. M. Perdigues, L. Cacciapuoti, C. J. de Matos, M. Aspelmeyer, A. Valencia, T. Scheidl, A. Fedrizzi, A. Acin, C. Barbieri, G. Bianco, C. Brukner, J. Capmany, S. Cova, D. Giggenbach, W. Leeb, R. H. Hadfield, R. Laflamme, N. Lutkenhaus, G. Milburn, M. Peev, T. Ralph, J. Rarity, R. Renner, E. Samain, N. Solomos, W. Tittel, J. P. Torres, M. Toyoshima, A. Ortigosa-Blanch, V. Pruneri, P. Villoresi, I. Walmsley, G. Weihs, H. Weinfurter, M. Zukowski, and A. Zeilinger, “Space-quest: Experiments with quantum entanglement in space,” Europhys. News 40, 26–29 (2009).
M. Jofre, A. Gardelein, G. Anzolin, G. Molina-Terriza, J. P. Torres, M. W. Mitchell, and V. Pruneri, “100 MHz Amplitude and Polarization Modulated Optical Source for Free-Space Quantum Key Distribution at 850 nm,” J. Lightwave Technol. 28, 2572–2578 (2010).
X. Ma, B. Qi, Y. Zhao, and H.-K. Lo, “Practical decoy state for quantum key distribution,” Phys. Rev. A 72, 012326 (2005).
G. Brassard and L. Salvail, “Secret Key Reconciliation by Public Discussion,” Advances in Cryptology - EUROCRYPT ’93 765/1994, 410–423 (1994).

Acin, A.
Acín, A.
Anzolin, G.
Aspelmeyer, M.
Baister, G.
Barbieri, C.
Bennett, C. H.
Bessette, F.
Bianco, G.
Brassard, G.
Brukner, C.
Cacciapuoti, L.
Capmany, J.
Chen, K.
Cova, S.
de Matos, C. J.
F¨urst, M.
Fedrizzi, A.
Furch, B.
Fürst, M.
Gardelein, A.
Giggenbach, D.
Gisin, N.
Gray, S.
Hadfield, R. H.
Hwang, W.-Y.
Iblisdir, S.
Jennewein, T.
Jofre, M.
Kofler, J.
Kurtsiefer, C.
Laflamme, R.
Leeb, W.
Lo, H.-K.
Lutkenhaus, N.
Ma, X.
Matos, C. J.
Milburn, G.
Minster, O.
Mitchell, M. W.
Molina-Terriza, G.
Nauerth, S.
Ortigosa-Blanch, A.
Peev, M.
Perdigues, J.
Perdigues, J. M.
Pfennigbauer, M.
Pruneri, V.
Qi, B.
Ralph, T.
Rarity, A.
Rarity, J.
Renner, R.
Salvail, L.
Samain, E.
Scarani, V.
Scheidl, T.
Schmitt-Manderbach, T.
Smolin, J.
Sodnik, Z.
Solomos, N.
Stucki, D.
Ten, S.
Thew, R. T.
Tiefenbacher, F.
Tittel, W.
Torres, J. P.
Towery, C. R.
Toyoshima, M.
Ursin, R.
Valencia, A.
Vannel, F.
Villoresi, P.
Walenta, N.
Walmsley, I.
Weier, H.
Weihs, G.
Weinfurter, H.
Zbinden, H.
Zeilinger, A.
Zeilinger, J. G.
Zhao, Y.
Zukowski, M.

Acta Astronaut.

J. M. Perdigues, B. Furch, C. J. Matos, O. Minster, L. Cacciapuoti, M. Pfennigbauer, M. Aspelmeyer, T. Jennewein, R. Ursin, T. Schmitt-Manderbach, G. Baister, J. Rarity, W. Leeb, C. Barbieri, H. Weinfurter, and A. Zeilinger, “Quantum communications at ESA: Towards a space experiment on the ISS,” Acta Astronaut. 63, 165–178 (2008).

Europhys. News

R. Ursin, T. Jennewein, J. Kofler, J. M. Perdigues, L. Cacciapuoti, C. J. de Matos, M. Aspelmeyer, A. Valencia, T. Scheidl, A. Fedrizzi, A. Acin, C. Barbieri, G. Bianco, C. Brukner, J. Capmany, S. Cova, D. Giggenbach, W. Leeb, R. H. Hadfield, R. Laflamme, N. Lutkenhaus, G. Milburn, M. Peev, T. Ralph, J. Rarity, R. Renner, E. Samain, N. Solomos, W. Tittel, J. P. Torres, M. Toyoshima, A. Ortigosa-Blanch, V. Pruneri, P. Villoresi, I. Walmsley, G. Weihs, H. Weinfurter, M. Zukowski, and A. Zeilinger, “Space-quest: Experiments with quantum entanglement in space,” Europhys. News 40, 26–29 (2009).

J. Cryptology

C. H. Bennett, F. Bessette, G. Brassard, L. Salvail, and J. Smolin, “Experimental quantum cryptography,” J. Cryptology 5, 3–28 (1992).

J. Lightwave Technol.

M. Jofre, A. Gardelein, G. Anzolin, G. Molina-Terriza, J. P. Torres, M. W. Mitchell, and V. Pruneri, “100 MHz Amplitude and Polarization Modulated Optical Source for Free-Space Quantum Key Distribution at 850 nm,” J. Lightwave Technol. 28, 2572–2578 (2010).

N. J. Phys.

S. Nauerth, M. F¨urst, T. Schmitt-Manderbach, H. Weier, and H. Weinfurter, “Information leakage via side channels in freespace BB84 quantum cryptography,” N. J. Phys. 11, 065001 (2009).
D. Stucki, N. Walenta, F. Vannel, R. T. Thew, N. Gisin, H. Zbinden, S. Gray, C. R. Towery, and S. Ten, “High rate, long-distance quantum key distribution over 250 km of ultra low loss fibres,” N. J. Phys. 11, 075003 (2009).

Phys. Rev. A

X. Ma, B. Qi, Y. Zhao, and H.-K. Lo, “Practical decoy state for quantum key distribution,” Phys. Rev. A 72, 012326 (2005).

Phys. Rev. Lett.

W.-Y. Hwang, “Quantum key distribution with high loss: Toward global secure communication,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 057901 (2003). [PubMed]
H.-K. Lo, X. Ma, and K. Chen, “Decoy State Quantum Key Distribution,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 230504 (2005). [PubMed]
T. Schmitt-Manderbach, H. Weier, M. Fürst, R. Ursin, F. Tiefenbacher, T. Scheidl, J. Perdigues, Z. Sodnik, C. Kurtsiefer, A. Rarity, J. G. Zeilinger, and H. Weinfurter, “Experimental Demonstration of Free-Space Decoy-State Quantum Key Distribution over 144 km,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 010504 (2007). [PubMed]

Rev. Mod. Phys.

V. Scarani, S. Iblisdir, N. Gisin, and A. Acín, “Quantum cloning,” Rev. Mod. Phys. 77, 1225–1256 (2005).

Other

C. H. Bennett, and G. Brassard, “Quantum cryptography: Public-key distribution and coin tossing,” Proc. IEEE Int. Conference on Computers, Systems and Signal Processing 175–179 (1984).
G. Brassard and L. Salvail, “Secret Key Reconciliation by Public Discussion,” Advances in Cryptology - EUROCRYPT ’93 765/1994, 410–423 (1994).

2010, Jofre, J. Lightwave Technol.
2009, Nauerth, N. J. Phys.
2009, Stucki, N. J. Phys.
2009, Ursin, Europhys. News
2008, Perdigues, Acta Astronaut.
2007, Schmitt-Manderbach, Phys. Rev. Lett.
2005, Scarani, Rev. Mod. Phys.
2005, Lo, Phys. Rev. Lett.
2005, Ma, Phys. Rev. A
2003, Hwang, Phys. Rev. Lett.
1992, Bennett, J. Cryptology

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