English

Tight finite-key security for twin-field quantum key distribution

Quantum Physics 2022-10-25 v4

Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) offers a reliable solution to communication problems that require long-term data security. For its widespread use, however, the rate and reach of QKD systems must be improved. Twin-field (TF) QKD is a step forward toward this direction, with early demonstrations suggesting it can beat the current rate-versus-distance records. A recently introduced variant of TF-QKD is particularly suited for experimental implementation, and has been shown to offer a higher key rate than other variants in the asymptotic regime where users exchange an infinite number of signals. Here, we extend the security of this protocol to the finite-key regime, showing that it can overcome the fundamental bounds on point-to-point QKD with around 101010^{10} transmitted signals. Within distance regimes of interest, our analysis offers higher key rates than those of alternative variants. Moreover, some of the techniques we develop are applicable to the finite-key analysis of other QKD protocols.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1910.11407,
  title  = {Tight finite-key security for twin-field quantum key distribution},
  author = {Guillermo Currás-Lorenzo and Alvaro Navarrete and Koji Azuma and Go Kato and Marcos Curty and Mohsen Razavi},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1910.11407},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

26 pages, 5 figures. v2: major changes on subsection "Concentration inequality for sums of dependent random variables", minor changes elsewhere. v3: Changes on subsection "Concentration inequality for sums of dependent random variables", to use the newest version of the inequality in Ref. [38]. Minor changes in citations elsewhere. v4: Fixed wrong citation numbers in graph legends

R2 v1 2026-06-23T11:54:17.528Z