Abstract
Free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) with modulating retro-reflectors (MRR) is adopted to simplify the pointing requirements in practical experiment, which has the potential for mobile and flexible QKD platforms. However, this protocol suffers double-pass weak turbulence that may affect the performance of the QKD experiment in free-space links. In this paper, the free-space QKD with MRR under double-pass correlated turbulent channel is analyzed to examine the relationship between system performance and two parameters of the fading correlation coefficient and the turbulence intensity. The threshold post-selection method (P-RTS) is extended to MRR-QKD scheme under correlated turbulent channel and the simulations show that the P-RTS method is effective to alleviate the effect of atmospheric turbulence and suitable for the situation of double-pass correlated turbulent channel to make the protocol more practical in actual environment.



Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.References
Bennett, C. H., Brassard, G.: Quantum cryptography: public key distribution and coin tossing. In: Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference Computers, Systems and Signal Processing, pp. 175–179. IEEE, New York (1984)
Gisin, N., Ribordy, G., Tittel, W., Zbinden, H.: Quantum cryptography. Rev. Mod. Phys. 74, 145–195 (2002)
Scarani, V., Bechmann-Pasquinucci, H., Cerf, N.J., Dusek, M., Lutkenhaus, N., Peev, M.: The security of practical quantum key distribution. Rev. Mod. Phys. 81(3), 1301–1350 (2009)
Stucki, D., Walenta, N., Vannel, F., Thew, R.T., Gisin, N., Zbinden, H., Gray, S., Towery, C.R., Ten, S.: High rate, long-distance quantum key distribution over 250 km of ultra-low loss fibres. New J. Phys. 11(7), 075003 (2009)
Liu, Y., Chen, T.Y., Wang, J., Cai, W.Q., Wan, X., Chen, L.K., Wang, J.H., Liu, S.B., Liang, H., Yang, L., Peng, C.Z., Chen, K., Chen, Z.B., Pan, J.W.: Decoy-state quantum key distribution with polarized photons over 200 km. Opt. Express 18(8), 8587–8594 (2010)
Korzh, B., Lim, C.C.W., Houlmann, R., Gisin, N., Li, M.J., Nolan, D., Sanguinetti, B., Thew, R., Zbinden, H.: Provably secure and practical quantum key distribution over 307 km of optical fibre. Nat. Photonics 9, 163–168 (2015)
Aspelmeyer, M., Jennewein, T., Pfennigbauer, M., Walter, L., Zeilinger, A.: Long distance quantum communication with entangled photons using satellites. IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 9(6), 1541–1551 (2003)
Villoresi, P., Jennewein, T., Tamburini, F., Aspelmeyer, M., Bonato, C., Ursin, R., Pernechele, C., Luceri, V., Bianco, G., Zeilinger, A., Barbieri, C.: Experimental verification of the feasibility of aquantum channel between space and Earth. New J. Phys. 10(3), 033038 (2008)
Bourgoin, J.P., Meyer-Scott, E., Higgins, B.L., Helou, B., Erven, C., Huebel, H., Kumar, B., Hudson, D., D’Souza, I., Girard, R., Laflamme, R., Jennewein, T.: A comprehensive design and performance analysis of LEO satellite quantum communication. New J. Phys. 15(2), 23006–23040 (2013)
Vallone, G., Bacco, D., Dequal, D., Gaiarin, S., Luceri, V., Bianco, G., Villoresi, P.: Experimental satellite quantum communications. Phys. Rev. Lett. 115(4), 040502 (2014)
Yin, J., Cao, Y., Li, Y.H., Liao, S.K., Zhang, L., Ren, J.G., Cai, W.Q., Liu, W.Y., Li, B., Dai, H., Li, G.B., Lu, Q.M., Gong, Y.H., Xu, Y., Li, S.L., Li, F.Z., Yin, Y.Y., Jiang, Z.Q., Li, M., Pan, J.W.: Satellite-based entanglement distribution over 1200 kilometers. Science 356(6343), 1140–1144 (2017)
Liao, S.K., Cai, W.Q., Handsteiner, J., Liu, B., Yin, J., Zhang, L., Rauch, D., Fink, M., Ren, J.G., Liu, W.Y., Li, Y., Qi, S., Cao, Y., Li, F.Z., Wang, F.J., Huang, Y.M., Deng, L., Xi, T., Ma, L., Hu, T., Li, L., Liu, N.L., Koidl, F., Wang, P.Y., Chen, Y.A., Wang, X.B., Steindorfer, M., Kirchner, G., Lu, C.Y., Shu, R., Ursin, R., Scheidl, T., Peng, C.Z., Wang, J.Y., Zeilinger, A., Pan, J.W.: Satellite-relayed intercontinental quantum phonetwork. Phys. Rev. Lett. 115(4), 030501 (2018)
Rabinovich, S.W., Mahon, R., Ferraro, M.S., Goetz, G.P., Bashkansky, M., Freeman, R.E., Reintjes, J., Murphy, L.J.: Free space quantum key distribution using modulating retro-reflectors. Opt. Express 26(9), 11331–11351 (2018)
Born, B., Hristovski, I.R., Geoffroy-Gagnon, S., Holzman, J.F.: All-optical retro-modulation for free-space optical communication. Opt. Express 26(4), 5031–5042 (2018)
Yang, G.W., Li, Z.P., Bi, M.H., Zhou, X.F., Zeng, R., Wang, T.S., Li, J.: Channel modeling and performance analysis of modulating retroreflector FSO systems under weak turbulence conditions. IEEE Photonics J. 9(2), 1–10 (2017)
Lo, H.K., Curty, M., Qi, B.: Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution. Phys. Rev. Lett. 108(13), 130503 (2012)
Trinh, P.V., Pham, T.V., Dang, N.T., Nguyen, H.V., Ng, S.X., Pham, A.T.: Design and security analysis of quantum key distribution protocol over free-space optics using dual-threshold direct-detection receiver. IEEE Access 6, 4159–4175 (2018)
Bufton, J.L., Iyer, R.S., Taylor, L.S.: Scintillation statistics caused by atmospheric turbulence and speckle in satellite laser ranging. Appl. Opt. 16(9), 2408–2413 (1977)
Andrews, L.C., Phillips, R.L.: Laser Beam Propagation Through Random Media, 2nd edn. SPIE Press, Bellingham (2005)
Zhang, Z.P., Zhang, H.F., Chen, W.Z., Li, P., Meng, W.D., Wang, Y.M., Wang, J., Hu, W., Yang, F.M.: Design and performances of laser retro-reflector arrays for Beidou navigation satellites and SLR observations. Adv. Space Res. 54(5), 811–817 (2014)
Yang, G.W., Khalighi, M.A., Bourennane, S.: Performance of receive diversity FSO systems under realistic beam propagation conditions. In: Proceedings of IET International Symposium on Communication Systems, Networks & Digital Signal Processing (CSNDSP), pp. 1–5. IEEE, Poznan (2012)
Vasylyev, D., Vogel, W., Semenov, A.A.: Theory of atmospheric quantum channels based on the law of total probability. Phys. Rev. A 97(6), 063852 (2018)
Ma, X.F., Fung, C.-H.F., Dupuis, F., Chen, K., Tamaki, K., Lo, H.-K.: Decoy-state quantum key distribution with two-way classical post processing. Phys. Rev. A 74, 032330 (2006)
Wang, W.Y., Xu, F.H., Lo, H.K.: Prefixed-threshold real-time method in free-space quantum key distribution. Phys. Rev. A. 97(3), 032337 (2018)
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11704412), Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi (Program No. 2019ZDLGY09-01), Innovative Talents Promotion Plan in Shaanxi Province (Grant No. 2020KJXX-011) and Key Program of National University of Defense Technology (19-QNCXJ-009). We thank Wenyuan Gu, Ying Liu and Ding Yang for helpful discussions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, XY., Wu, TY., Dong, C. et al. Prefixed-threshold real-time selection for correlated turbulent channel model for quantum key distribution with modulating retro-reflectors. Quantum Inf Process 20, 44 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11128-020-02981-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11128-020-02981-2