Silicon photonic transceiver circuit for high-speed polarization-based discrete variable quantum key distribution

Abstract

We demonstrate a silicon photonic transceiver circuit for high-speed discrete variable quantum key distribution that employs a common structure for transmit and receive functions. The device is intended for use in polarization-based quantum cryptographic protocols, such as BB84. Our characterization indicates that the circuit can generate the four BB84 states (TE/TM/45°/135° linear polarizations) with >30 dB polarization extinction ratios and gigabit per second modulation speed, and is capable of decoding any polarization bases differing by 90° with high extinction ratios.

Advances in Silicon Quantum Photonics

“…Here, the use of silicon photonics enabled the experiments high secret key rates and increased the stability of the system, particularly by correcting for polarisation drift. One recent innovation comes from a polarisation-based QKD transceiver device, where the same circuit traversed in different directions gives provides transmitter or receiver functionality [20].…”

“…While quantum capability has been demonstrated across integrated photonics, silicon quantum photonics is a leader in the scale and scope of its applications. Today, silicon photonics provides a versatile testbed for quantum photonic technology, with demonstrations of resources for measurementbased quantum computing [18], high-dimensional entanglement entanglement [19], robust quantum communications [20] and photonic quantum machine learning [21], [22] with up to eight simultaneous photons [23]. Furthermore, programmable circuits give access to large classes of quantum photonic capabilities via a single point of optical alignment [24], [25], [18], while complementary metal-oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) compatible fabrication makes electronic co-integration possible [26].…”

Secure Quantum Communication Technologies and Systems: From Labs to Markets

“…Recent advances in photonics integration offer new opportunities in this direction. For example, silicon photonics allows the realization of miniaturized Mach-Zehnder interferometers [129] with highly stable, temperature-controlled phase shift between the two interferometers arms. Other examples are single-photon sources based on quantum dots [130], single-photon detectors able to work at room temperature [131], high-speed QRNG [132], and on-chip receivers for continuous variable systems [132].…”

Parameter Optimization Based BPNN of Atmosphere Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution

“…The flying start of quantum communication makes secure communication conceivable in practice [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. As an important applicatory adhibition in the quantum communications, quantum key distribution (QKD) permits communication objects to generate a public secret key at the existence of eavesdropping, and this approach implements secure key interchange that does not rely on computational complexity [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Discrete-variable quantum key distribution (DVQKD) as well as continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) are two primary ways to implement QKD.…”

“…Discrete-variable quantum key distribution (DVQKD) as well as continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) are two primary ways to implement QKD. DVQKD protocol demands greatly faint light pulses in the process of generation and detection [ 5 , 6 ]. Another method of protocol, CVQKD, can utilize standard components of fiber optic communication without the need for a single photon detector [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”