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

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 $1.14\times 10^{-2}$ 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.

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Cited by in corpus (10)

• Progress in satellite quantum key distribution
• Satellite-Based Continuous-Variable Quantum Communications: State-of-the-Art and a Predictive Outlook
• Quantum estimation of the Schwarzschild space-time parameters of the Earth
• Quantum optics experiments to the International Space Station ISS: a proposal
• Novel High-Speed Polarization Source for Decoy-State BB84 Quantum Key Distribution over Free Space and Satellite Links
• Satellite-based quantum steering under the influence of spacetime curvature of the Earth
• The influence of the Earth's curved spacetime on Gaussian quantum coherence
• Characterization of quantum and classical correlations in the Earth curved space-time
• Quantum fluctuation of entanglement for accelerated two-level detectors
• An updated analysis of satellite quantum-key distribution missions