Hyperentangled Time-Bin and Polarization Quantum Key Distribution

Joseph C. Chapman, Charles C.W. Lim, Paul G. Kwiat

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Fiber-based quantum communication networks are currently limited without quantum repeaters. Satellite-based quantum links have been proposed to extend the network domain. We develop a quantum communication system, suitable for realistic satellite-to-ground communication. With this system, we execute an entanglement-based quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol developed by Bennett, Brassard, and Mermin (BBM92), achieving quantum bit-error rates (QBERs) below 2% in all bases. More importantly, we demonstrate low-QBER execution of a higher-dimensional hyperentanglement-based QKD protocol, using photons simultaneously entangled in polarization and time bin, leading to significantly higher secure key rates, at the cost of increased technical complexity and system size. We show that our protocol is suitable for a space-to-ground link, after incorporating Doppler-shift compensation, and verify its security using a rigorous finite-key analysis. Additionally, we discuss system-engineering considerations relevant to those and other quantum communication protocols and their dependence on what photonic degrees of freedom are utilized.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number044027
JournalPhysical Review Applied
Volume18
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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