Seigo Takahashi

Ultra fast quantum key distribution over a 97 km installed telecom fiber with wavelength division multiplexing clock synchronization

We demonstrated ultra fast BB84 quantum key distribution (QKD) transmission at 625 MHz clock rate through a 97 km field-installed fiber using practical clock synchronization based on wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM). We succeeded in over-one-hour stable key generation at a high sifted key rate of 2.4 kbps and a low quantum bit error rate (QBER) of 2.9%. The asymptotic secure key rate was estimated to be 0.78- 0.82 kbps from the transmission data with the decoy method of average photon numbers 0, 0.15, and 0.4 photons/pulse.

High-Speed Quantum Key Distribution System for 1-Mbps Real-Time Key Generation

A high-speed quantum key distribution (QKD) system has been developed with the goal of a 1-Mbps final secure key generation rate under 10-dB transmission loss, which corresponds to 50 km of standard single mode fiber. For the purpose of speeding-up all processes in QKD sequence, we apply a wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) technique using the colorless interferometric technique and a key distillation hardware (HW) engine. We establish a novel WDM scheme, sharing interferometers and their temperature regulators over multiple channels, which enables us to increase the number of channels with a small impact on system cost and size. To generate a secure key while satisfying both high speed and high security, we develop a key distillation HW engine which enables us to execute key distillation with 1-Mbit code length in real time. We have experimentally evaluated the performance of the developed system through installed fiber. By operating three wavelength channels, a new, world leading key generation rate of greater than 200 kbps over a 14.5-dB transmission loss has been achieved.

High-speed wavelength-division multiplexing quantum key distribution system

A high-speed quantum key distribution system was developed with the wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technique and dedicated key distillation hardware engines. Two interferometers for encoding and decoding are shared over eight wavelengths to reduce the systems size, cost, and control complexity. The key distillation engines can process a huge amount of data from the WDM channels by using a 1 Mbit block in real time. We demonstrated a three-channel WDM system that simultaneously uses avalanche photodiodes and superconducting single-photon detectors. We achieved 12 h continuous key generation with a secure key rate of 208 kilobits per second through a 45 km field fiber with 14.5 dB loss.

Practical Quantum Cryptosystem for Metro Area Applications

A practical quantum cryptosystem prototype has been developed for metro area applications. It is of the size of a desktop and incorporates a temperature-independent optical interferometer, a highly reliable photon detector module, and random number generators. It supports various functions, including bit/frame synchronization, BB84 bit reconciliation, error correction and privacy amplification for quantum key generation, and encrypted communication. Two weeks of testing using a commercial fiber in the field demonstrated its ability to continuously generate final keys and to perform crypto communication using the keys.

Technologies for Quantum Key Distribution Networks Integrated With Optical Communication Networks

Secure networks composed of optical networks and quantum key distribution (QKD) are considered in this paper. A network layer structure is defined to focus on issues important with respect to the QKD network layer that controls QKD links and supplies a secure key for message transmission. A multiple-user QKD network layer can be constructed with timing synchronization, secure key sharing between indirectly connected nodes with switched QKD systems and key relays, and key management to control the volume of key generation and supply in response to the demand from optical network nodes.

Over 25-dB dynamic range 10-/1-Gbps optical burst-mode receiver using high-power-tolerant APD

A burst-mode receiver using high-power-tolerant APD for co-existence of 10-/1 Gbps-PON systems was demonstrated. An inter-burst dynamic range as large as 25 dB for both 10 and 1 Gbps at a fixed APD bias voltage was attained.

A 2.56 Tb/s throughput packet/cell-based optical switch-fabric demonstrator

A packet/cell-based optical switch-fabric demonstrator has been successfully developed that is upgradable to 2.56 Tb/s throughput. The number of optical components in a 256/spl times/256 switch-fabric is dramatically reduced to one-eighth that of a conventional switch-fabric.

High-speed QKD system synchronized by automatic phase-alignment mechanism

A high-speed QKD system, which has an automatic modulation-phase-alignment mechanism for compensating for GVD, was developed. Using this system, we confirmed high-speed and stable quantum key distribution with transmission over 40 km was possible.

Ensuring Quality of Shared Keys Through Quantum Key Distribution for Practical Application

We investigated the characteristics of shared keys obtained through quantum key distribution (QKD) from the viewpoint of application in cipher communication. We demonstrated that the shared keys at each stage in QKD satisfy the criteria determined by a standardized randomness test by physically compensating for randomness degrading factors. We also examined the increase in the error rate of the shared keys produced by privacy amplification, and succeeded in suppressing the error rate increase by applying a new privacy amplification scheme, which yielded a sufficiently low error rate for the final keys. These investigations showed that the final keys obtained using quantum cryptosystems are available as crypto keys in cipher communication.

Recent Progress in Quantum Key Distribution Network Technologies

Recent progress in quantum key distribution (QKD) network technologies including an optically switched multi-user QKD network and activities for QKD performance improvements are presented.