Interference between independent photonic integrated devices for quantum key distribution

Abstract

Advances in quantum computing are a rapidly growing threat towards modern cryptography. Quantum key distribution (QKD) provides long-term security without assuming the computational power of an adversary. However, inconsistencies between theory and experiment have raised questions in terms of real-world security, while large and power-hungry commercial systems have slowed wide-scale adoption. Measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD) provides a method of sharing secret keys that removes all possible detector side-channel attacks which drastically improves security claims. In this letter, we experimentally demonstrate a key step required to perform MDI-QKD with scalable integrated devices. We show Hong-Ou-Mandel interference between weak coherent states carved from two independent indium phosphide transmitters at $431$ MHz with a visibility of $46.5\pm 0.8\%$. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using integrated devices to lower a major barrier towards adoption of QKD in metropolitan networks.

References in corpus (15)

• Decoy State Quantum Key Distribution
• Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution
• Secure Quantum Key Distribution
• Hacking commercial quantum cryptography systems by tailored bright illumination
• Quantum Hacking: Experimental demonstration of time-shift attack against practical quantum key distribution systems
• Trojan Horse attacks on Quantum Key Distribution systems
• Effects of detector efficiency mismatch on security of quantum cryptosystems
• Real-world two-photon interference and proof-of-principle quantum key distribution immune to detector attacks
• Quantum cryptography without detector vulnerabilities using optically-seeded lasers
• Three-intensity decoy state method for device independent quantum key distribution with basis dependent errors
• Practical aspects of measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution
• Waveguide Integrated Superconducting Single Photon Detectors Implemented as Coherent Perfect Absorbers
• Breaking a quantum key distribution system through a timing side channel
• Interference of short optical pulses from independent gain-switched laser diodes for quantum secure communications
• Hong-Ou-Mandel interference between independent III-V on silicon waveguide integrated lasers

Cited by in corpus (11)

• Integrated Photonic Quantum Technologies
• High-speed measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with integrated silicon photonics
• Chip-based measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution
• Boosting the secret key rate in a shared quantum and classical fibre communication system
• Advances in silicon quantum photonics
• Hong-Ou-Mandel interference between independent III-V on silicon waveguide integrated lasers
• Two-photon interferences of weak coherent lights
• Hong-Ou-Mandel interference of two independent continuous-wave coherent photons
• Optical transmitter tunable over a 65-nm wavelength range around 1550 nm for quantum key distribution
• Time-resolved two-photon interference of weak coherent pulses
• Engineering of Hong-Ou-Mandel interference with effective noise