Quantum metropolitan optical network based on wavelength division multiplexing

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is maturing quickly. However, the current approaches to its application in optical networks make it an expensive technology. QKD networks deployed to date are designed as a collection of point-to-point, dedicated QKD links where non-neighboring nodes communicate using the trusted repeater paradigm. We propose a novel optical network model in which QKD systems share the communication infrastructure by wavelength multiplexing their quantum and classical signals. The routing is done using optical components within a metropolitan area which allows for a dynamically any-to-any communication scheme. Moreover, it resembles a commercial telecom network, takes advantage of existing infrastructure and utilizes commercial components, allowing for an easy, cost-effective and reliable deployment.

Information reconciliation for Quantum Key Distribution

Secret-key agreement, a well-known problem in cryptography, allows two parties holding correlated sequences to agree on a secret key communicating over a public channel. It is usually divided into three different procedures: advantage distillation, information reconciliation and privacy amplification. The efficiency of each one of these procedures is needed if a positive key rate is to be attained from the legitimate parties? correlated sequences. Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows the two parties to obtain correlated sequences, provided that they have access to an authenticated channel. The new generation of QKD devices is able to work at higher speeds and in noisier or more absorbing environments. This exposes the weaknesses of current information reconciliation protocols, a key component to their performance. Here we present a new protocol based in low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes that presents the advantages of low interactivity, rate adaptability and high efficiency,characteristics that make it highly suitable for next generation QKD devices.

Worldwide standardization activity for quantum key distribution

We discuss the on-going worldwide activity to develop forward looking standards for quantum key distribution (QKD) in the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) QKD industry specification group (ISG). The long term goal is to develop a certification methodology that bridges the gap between theoretical proofs and practical implementations with imperfect devices. Current efforts are focused on the handling of side channels and characterization of the most relevant components.

Integration of quantum key distribution in metropolitan area networks

The deployment of Quantum Key Distribution forces the development of QKD-links to be operated in current and next-generation photonic metro-access networks. These highly heterogeneous architectures determine the conditions QKD-links need to be optimized for.

Rate-Adaptive LDPC-based key reconciliation for high performance quantum key distribution

The postprocessing or secret-key distillation process in quantum key distribution (QKD) mainly involves two well-known procedures: information reconciliation and privacy amplification. Information or key reconciliation has been customarily studied in terms of efficiency. During this, some information needs to be disclosed for reconciling discrepancies in the exchanged keys. The leakage of information is lower bounded by a theoretical limit, and is usually parameterized by the reconciliation efficiency (or inefficiency), i.e. the ratio of additional information disclosed over the Shannon limit. Most techniques for reconciling errors in QKD try to optimize this parameter. For instance, the well-known Cascade (probably the most widely used procedure for reconciling errors in QKD) was recently shown to have an average efficiency of 1.05 at the cost of a high interactivity (number of exchanged messages). Modern coding techniques, such as rate-adaptive low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes were also shown to achieve similar efficiency values exchanging only one message, or even better values with few interactivity and shorter block-length codes.