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Efficient semiquantum key distribution based on single photons in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom

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Abstract

In this paper, we propose an efficient semiquantum key distribution (SQKD) protocol which is based on single photons in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom. This protocol is feasible for a quantum communicant distributing a random private key to a classical communicant. This protocol need not require the classical communicant to use any quantum memory or unitary operation equipment. We validate the complete robustness of the transmissions of single photons between two communicants. It turns out that during these transmissions, if Eve wants not to be detected by two communicants, she will obtain nothing useful about the final shared key bits. Compared with Boyer et al.’s famous pioneering SQKD protocol (Phys Rev Lett 99:140501, 2007), this protocol has double quantum communication capacity, as one single photon with two degrees of freedom for generating the key bits can carry two private bits; and this protocol has higher quantum communication efficiency, as it consumes less qubits for establishing a private key of the same length. Compared with the only existing SQKD protocol with single photons in two degrees of freedom (Int J Theoret Phys 59:2807, 2020), this protocol has higher quantum communication efficiency.

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All data and models generated or used during the study appear in the submitted article.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments that help enhancing the quality of this paper. Funding by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.62071430 and No.61871347), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Provincial Universities of Zhejiang (Grant No.JRK21002) and Zhejiang Gongshang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of New Network Standards and Technologies (No. 2013E10012) is gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. College of Information & Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, People’s Republic of China

    Tian-Yu Ye, Mao-Jie Geng, Tian-Jie Xu & Ying Chen

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  1. Tian-Yu Ye
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  2. Mao-Jie Geng
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Correspondence to Tian-Yu Ye.

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Ye, TY., Geng, MJ., Xu, TJ. et al. Efficient semiquantum key distribution based on single photons in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom. Quantum Inf Process 21, 123 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11128-022-03457-1

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