Use of a Local Local Oscillator for the Satellite-to-Earth Channel

Abstract

Continuous variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) offers information-theoretic secure key sharing between two parties. The sharing of a phase reference frame is an essential requirement for coherent detection in CV-QKD. Due to the potential attacks related to transmitting the local oscillator (LO) alongside quantum signals, there has been a focus on using local LOs (LLOs) to establish a shared phase reference. In this work, we develop a new noise model of a current state-of-the-art LLO scheme in the context of the satellite-to-Earth channel. In doing this, we encapsulate detailed phase-screen calculations that determine the coherent efficiency - a critical parameter in free-space CV-QKD that characterizes the wavefront aberrations caused by atmospheric turbulence. Using our new noise model we then determine the CV-QKD key rates for the satellite-to-Earth channel, secure under general attacks in the finite-size regime of the LLO scheme. Our results are of practical importance for next-generation quantum-enabled satellites that utilize multi-photon technology as opposed to single-photon technology.

References in corpus (18)

• Finite-size analysis of continuous-variable quantum key distribution
• Progress in satellite quantum key distribution
• Composable security proof for continuous-variable quantum key distribution with coherent states
• Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution with Gaussian Modulation -- The Theory of Practical Implementations
• Preventing Calibration Attacks on the Local Oscillator in Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution
• Local oscillator fluctuation opens a loophole for Eve in practical continuous-variable quantum-key-distribution systems
• Quantum Hacking on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution System using a Wavelength Attack
• Self-referenced continuous-variable quantum key distribution protocol
• Generating the local oscillator "locally" in continuous-variable quantum key distribution based on coherent detection
• Quantum-limited measurements of optical signals from a geostationary satellite
• Self-coherent phase reference sharing for continuous-variable quantum key distribution
• Quantum Hacking on Quantum Key Distribution using Homodyne Detection
• Continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution: Composable security against coherent attacks
• Atmospheric effects on continuous-variable quantum key distribution
• Experimental quantum key distribution with simulated ground-to-satellite photon losses and processing limitations
• Feasibility Assessment For Practical Continuous Variable Quantum Key Distribution Over The Satellite-to-Earth Channel
• Reference Pulse Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution with Local Local Oscillator under trusted phase noise
• Atmospheric effects on satellite-to-ground quantum key distribution using coherent states