中国物理B ›› 2015, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (11): 110307-110307.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/24/11/110307

• GENERAL • 上一篇    下一篇

Passive decoy-state quantum key distribution using weak coherent pulses with modulator attenuation

李源a b, 鲍皖苏a b, 李宏伟b, 周淳a b, 汪洋a b   

  1. a Zhengzhou Information Science and Technology Institute, Zhengzhou 450004, China;
    b Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
  • 收稿日期:2015-03-17 修回日期:2015-08-07 出版日期:2015-11-05 发布日期:2015-11-05
  • 通讯作者: Bao Wan-Su E-mail:2010thzz@sina.com
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11304397).

Passive decoy-state quantum key distribution using weak coherent pulses with modulator attenuation

Li Yuan (李源)a b, Bao Wan-Su (鲍皖苏)a b, Li Hong-Wei (李宏伟)b, Zhou Chun (周淳)a b, Wang Yang (汪洋)a b   

  1. a Zhengzhou Information Science and Technology Institute, Zhengzhou 450004, China;
    b Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
  • Received:2015-03-17 Revised:2015-08-07 Online:2015-11-05 Published:2015-11-05
  • Contact: Bao Wan-Su E-mail:2010thzz@sina.com
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11304397).

摘要: Passive decoy-state quantum key distribution is more desirable than the active one in some scenarios. It is also affected by the imperfections of the devices. In this paper, the influence of modulator attenuation on the passive decoy-state method is considered. We introduce and analyze the unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer, briefly, and combining with the virtual source and imaginary unitary transformation, we characterize the passive decoy-state method using a weak coherent photon source with modulator attenuation. According to the attenuation parameter δ, the pass efficiencies are given. Then, the key generation rate can be acquired. From numerical simulations, it can be seen that modulator attenuation has a non-negligible influence on the performance of passive-state QKD protocol. Based on the research, the analysis method of virtual source and imaginary unitary transformation are preferred in analyzing passive decoy state protocol, and the passive decoy-state method is better than the active one and is close to the active vacuum + weak decoy state under the condition of having the same modulator attenuation.

关键词: quantum key distribution, passive decoy state, modulator attenuation, weak coherent pulses

Abstract: Passive decoy-state quantum key distribution is more desirable than the active one in some scenarios. It is also affected by the imperfections of the devices. In this paper, the influence of modulator attenuation on the passive decoy-state method is considered. We introduce and analyze the unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer, briefly, and combining with the virtual source and imaginary unitary transformation, we characterize the passive decoy-state method using a weak coherent photon source with modulator attenuation. According to the attenuation parameter δ, the pass efficiencies are given. Then, the key generation rate can be acquired. From numerical simulations, it can be seen that modulator attenuation has a non-negligible influence on the performance of passive-state QKD protocol. Based on the research, the analysis method of virtual source and imaginary unitary transformation are preferred in analyzing passive decoy state protocol, and the passive decoy-state method is better than the active one and is close to the active vacuum + weak decoy state under the condition of having the same modulator attenuation.

Key words: quantum key distribution, passive decoy state, modulator attenuation, weak coherent pulses

中图分类号:  (Quantum cryptography and communication security)

  • 03.67.Dd
03.67.Hk (Quantum communication)