Secure and efficient synchronization scheme for quantum key distribution

Abstract

To establish a time reference frame between two users in quantum key distribution, a synchronization calibration process is usually applied for the case of using gated mode single-photon detectors (SPDs). Traditionally, the synchronization calibration is independently implemented by the line length measurement for each SPD. However, this will leave a loophole which has been experimentally demonstrated by a special attack. Here, we propose an alternative synchronization scheme by fixing the relative delay of the signal time window among all SPDs and jointly performing the line length measurement with multiple SPDs under combining low-precision with high-precision synchronization. The new scheme is not only immune to the vulnerability but also improves the synchronization time from usually a few seconds to tens of milliseconds.

7 pages and 5 figures

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Cited by in corpus (8)

• Algebraic Theory of Quantum Synchronization and Limit Cycles under Dissipation
• Fast and simple qubit-based synchronization for quantum key distribution
• Experimental composable security decoy-state quantum key distribution using time-phase encoding
• Topological quantum synchronization of fractionalized spins
• Synchronization of quantum communication over an optical classical communication channel
• Lie Algebraic Quantum Phase Reduction
• Quantum synchronization of qubits via dynamical Casimir effect
• Qubit-based clock synchronization for QKD systems using a Bayesian approach