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Hybrid quantum key distribution network

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  • Special Focus on Quantum Information
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Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is now moving toward a scalable and secure QKD network, which establishes secret keys among network users. The continuous-variable (CV) and discrete-variable (DV) QKD systems are currently being developed in parallel and are all used in QKD networks. We propose here a hybrid QKD network, in which the CV QKD system is used to build metropolitan QKD networks, and the DV QKD system is used to connect metropolitan QKD networks. The hybrid QKD network takes advantage of high secret key rates for CV QKD systems and long distance for DV QKD systems. We also present a feasible hybrid measurement-device-independent (MDI) QKD network, which combines both CV and DV MDI QKD systems. The presented hybrid QKD networks meet the low cost and compact requirement of a realistic QKD network and provide a feasible solution for future real QKD networks by combining the advantages of both CV and DV QKD systems.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11834010, 11504024) and the Fund for Shanxi “1331 Project” Key Subjects Construction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, Institute of Opto-Electronics, Taiyuan, 030006, China

    Siyu Ren & Xiaolong Su

  2. Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China

    Siyu Ren & Xiaolong Su

  3. State Key Laboratory of Cryptology, Beijing, 100878, China

    Yu Wang

Authors
  1. Siyu Ren
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  2. Yu Wang
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  3. Xiaolong Su
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yu Wang or Xiaolong Su.

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Appendixes A—D. The supporting information is available online at info.scichina.com and link.springer.com. The supporting materials are published as submitted, without typesetting or editing. The responsibility for scientific accuracy and content remains entirely with the authors.

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Ren, S., Wang, Y. & Su, X. Hybrid quantum key distribution network. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 65, 200502 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-022-3509-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-022-3509-6

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