CV-MDI Quantum Key Distribution via Satellite

Abstract

In this work we analyze a measurement-device-independent (MDI) protocol to establish continuous-variable (CV) quantum key distribution (QKD) between two ground stations. We assume communication occurs between the ground stations via satellite over two independent atmospheric-fading channels dominated by turbulence-induced beam wander. In this MDI protocol the measurement device is the satellite itself, and the security of the protocol is analyzed through an equivalent entanglement-based swapping scheme. We quantify the positive impact the fading channels can have on the final quantum key rates, demonstrating how the protocol is able to generate a positive key rate even over high-loss atmospheric channels. This is somewhat counter-intuitive given that the same outcome is only possible in the low-loss regime for a measurement device centrally positioned in a fiber-optic channel. Our results show that useful space-based quantum key generation rates between two ground stations are possible even when the relay satellite is held by an adversary. The cost in key rate incurred by altering the status of the satellite from trustworthy to untrustworthy is presented.

7 pages, 2 figures

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Advances in Quantum Cryptography
• Composable security for continuous variable quantum key distribution: Trust levels and practical key rates in wired and wireless networks
• Compilation by stochastic Hamiltonian sparsification
• CV-QKD with Gaussian and non-Gaussian Entangled States over Satellite-based Channels
• Feasibility of space-based measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution
• Enabling CV-MDI-QKD for low squeezed states using non-Gaussian operations