Detector dead-time effects and paralyzability in high-speed quantum key distribution
arXiv:0706.1449 · doi:10.1088/1367-2630/9/9/319
Abstract
Recent advances in quantum key distribution (QKD) have given rise to systems that operate at transmission periods significantly shorter than the dead times of their component single-photon detectors. As systems continue to increase in transmission rate, security concerns associated with detector dead times can limit the production rate of sifted bits. We present a model of high-speed QKD in this limit that identifies an optimum transmission rate for a system with given link loss and detector response characteristics.