Cargando…
Numerical approach for unstructured quantum key distribution
Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows for communication with security guaranteed by quantum theory. The main theoretical problem in QKD is to calculate the secret key rate for a given protocol. Analytical formulas are known for protocols with symmetries, since symmetry simplifies the analysis. Howev...
Autores principales: | , , |
---|---|
Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
Nature Publishing Group
2016
|
Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4876458/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27198739 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11712 |
_version_ | 1782433241620283392 |
---|---|
author | Coles, Patrick J. Metodiev, Eric M. Lütkenhaus, Norbert |
author_facet | Coles, Patrick J. Metodiev, Eric M. Lütkenhaus, Norbert |
author_sort | Coles, Patrick J. |
collection | PubMed |
description | Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows for communication with security guaranteed by quantum theory. The main theoretical problem in QKD is to calculate the secret key rate for a given protocol. Analytical formulas are known for protocols with symmetries, since symmetry simplifies the analysis. However, experimental imperfections break symmetries, hence the effect of imperfections on key rates is difficult to estimate. Furthermore, it is an interesting question whether (intentionally) asymmetric protocols could outperform symmetric ones. Here we develop a robust numerical approach for calculating the key rate for arbitrary discrete-variable QKD protocols. Ultimately this will allow researchers to study ‘unstructured' protocols, that is, those that lack symmetry. Our approach relies on transforming the key rate calculation to the dual optimization problem, which markedly reduces the number of parameters and hence the calculation time. We illustrate our method by investigating some unstructured protocols for which the key rate was previously unknown. |
format | Online Article Text |
id | pubmed-4876458 |
institution | National Center for Biotechnology Information |
language | English |
publishDate | 2016 |
publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
record_format | MEDLINE/PubMed |
spelling | pubmed-48764582016-06-02 Numerical approach for unstructured quantum key distribution Coles, Patrick J. Metodiev, Eric M. Lütkenhaus, Norbert Nat Commun Article Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows for communication with security guaranteed by quantum theory. The main theoretical problem in QKD is to calculate the secret key rate for a given protocol. Analytical formulas are known for protocols with symmetries, since symmetry simplifies the analysis. However, experimental imperfections break symmetries, hence the effect of imperfections on key rates is difficult to estimate. Furthermore, it is an interesting question whether (intentionally) asymmetric protocols could outperform symmetric ones. Here we develop a robust numerical approach for calculating the key rate for arbitrary discrete-variable QKD protocols. Ultimately this will allow researchers to study ‘unstructured' protocols, that is, those that lack symmetry. Our approach relies on transforming the key rate calculation to the dual optimization problem, which markedly reduces the number of parameters and hence the calculation time. We illustrate our method by investigating some unstructured protocols for which the key rate was previously unknown. Nature Publishing Group 2016-05-20 /pmc/articles/PMC4876458/ /pubmed/27198739 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11712 Text en Copyright © 2016, Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited. All Rights Reserved. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
spellingShingle | Article Coles, Patrick J. Metodiev, Eric M. Lütkenhaus, Norbert Numerical approach for unstructured quantum key distribution |
title | Numerical approach for unstructured quantum key distribution |
title_full | Numerical approach for unstructured quantum key distribution |
title_fullStr | Numerical approach for unstructured quantum key distribution |
title_full_unstemmed | Numerical approach for unstructured quantum key distribution |
title_short | Numerical approach for unstructured quantum key distribution |
title_sort | numerical approach for unstructured quantum key distribution |
topic | Article |
url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4876458/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27198739 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11712 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT colespatrickj numericalapproachforunstructuredquantumkeydistribution AT metodievericm numericalapproachforunstructuredquantumkeydistribution AT lutkenhausnorbert numericalapproachforunstructuredquantumkeydistribution |