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Security of practical phase-coding quantum key distribution

Quantum Physics 2010-09-08 v1

Abstract

Security proof of practical quantum key distribution (QKD) has attracted a lot of attentions in recent years. Most of real-life QKD implementations are based on phase-coding BB84 protocol, which usually uses Unbalanced Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (UMZI) as the information coder and decoder. However, the long arm and short arm of UMZI will introduce different loss in practical experimental realizations, the state emitted by Alice's side is nolonger standard BB84 states. In this paper, we will give a security analysis in this situation. Counterintuitively, active compensation for this different loss will only lower the secret key bit rate.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0911.2938,
  title  = {Security of practical phase-coding quantum key distribution},
  author = {Hong-Wei Li and Zhen-Qiang Yin and Zheng-Fu Han and Wan-Su Bao and Guang-Can Guo},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0911.2938},
  year   = {2010}
}

Comments

4 pages, 3 figures,

R2 v1 2026-06-21T14:11:58.205Z