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Reference-Frame-Independent and Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution Using One Single Source

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Abstract

Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) is immune to all detector side-channel attacks. However, practical implementations of MDI-QKD, which require two-photon interferences from separated independent single-photon sources and a nontrivial reference alignment procedure, are still challenging with current technologies. Here, we propose a scheme that significantly reduces the experimental complexity of two-photon interferences and eliminates reference frame alignment by the combination of plug-and-play and reference frame independent MDI-QKD. Simulation results show that the secure communication distance can be up to 219 km in the finite-data case and the scheme has good potential for practical MDI-QKD systems.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61372076, 61701375, 61705048), Shaanxi Key Research and Development Program (Grant No. 2017GY-080), the Guangxi Science Foundation (Grant No. 2017GXNSFBA198231), Foundation of Science and Technology on Communication Networks Laboratory (KX172600031) and the 111 Project (No. B08038).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Integrated Services Networks, Xidian University, Xi’an, 710071, China

    Qian Li, Changhua Zhu, Shuquan Ma & Changxing Pei

  2. Science and Technology on Communication Networks Laboratory, Shijiazhuang, 050081, China

    Qian Li

  3. Guangxi Key Laboratory for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physics Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China

    Kejin Wei

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  1. Qian Li
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  2. Changhua Zhu
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Correspondence to Changhua Zhu.

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Li, Q., Zhu, C., Ma, S. et al. Reference-Frame-Independent and Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution Using One Single Source. Int J Theor Phys 57, 2192–2202 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10773-018-3743-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10773-018-3743-1

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