Zhen-Qiang Yin

2 GHz clock quantum key distribution over 260 km of standard telecom fiber

We report a demonstration of quantum key distribution (QKD) over a standard telecom fiber exceeding 50 dB in loss and 250 km in length. The differential phase shift QKD protocol was chosen and implemented with a 2 GHz system clock rate. By careful optimization of the 1 bit delayed Faraday-Michelson interferometer and the use of the superconducting single photon detector (SSPD), we achieved a quantum bit error rate below 2% when the fiber length was no more than 205 km, and of 3.45% for a 260 km fiber with 52.9 dB loss. We also improved the quantum efficiency of SSPD to obtain a high key rate for 50 km length.

Field and long-term demonstration of a wide area quantum key distribution network.

A wide area quantum key distribution (QKD) network deployed on communication infrastructures provided by China Mobile Ltd. is demonstrated. Three cities and two metropolitan area QKD networks were linked up to form the Hefei-Chaohu-Wuhu wide area QKD network with over 150 kilometers coverage area, in which Hefei metropolitan area QKD network was a typical full-mesh core network to offer all-to-all interconnections, and Wuhu metropolitan area QKD network was a representative quantum access network with point-to-multipoint configuration. The whole wide area QKD network ran for more than 5000 hours, from 21 December 2011 to 19 July 2012, and part of the network stopped until last December. To adapt to the complex and volatile field environment, the Faraday-Michelson QKD system with several stability measures was adopted when we designed QKD devices. Through standardized design of QKD devices, resolution of symmetry problem of QKD devices, and seamless switching in dynamic QKD network, we realized the effective integration between point-to-point QKD techniques and networking schemes.

Performance of various correlation measures in quantum phase transitions using the quantum renormalization-group method

We have investigated quantum phase transition employing the quantum renormalization group (QRG) method while in most previous literature barely entanglement (concurrence) has been demonstrated. However, it is now well known that entanglement is not the only signature of quantum correlations and a variety of computable measures have been developed to characterize quantum correlations in the composite systems. As an illustration, two cases are elaborated: one dimensional anisotropic (i) XXZ model and (ii) XY model, with various measures of quantum correlations, including quantum discord (QD), geometric discord (GD), measure-induced disturbance (MID), measure-induced nonlocality (MIN) and violation of Bell inequalities (eg. CHSH inequality). We have proved that all these correlation measures can effectively detect the quantum critical points associated with quantum phase transitions (QPT) after several iterations of the renormalization in both cases. Nonetheless, it is shown that some of their dynamical behaviors are not totally similar with entanglement and even when concurrence vanishes there still exists some kind of quantum correlations which is not captured by entanglement. Intriguingly, CHSH inequality can never be violated in the whole iteration procedure, which indicates block-block entanglement can not revealed by the CHSH inequality. Moreover, the nonanalytic and scaling behaviors of Bell violation have also been discussed in detail. As a byproduct, we verify that measure-induced disturbance is exactly equal to the quantum discord measured by σz for general X-structured states.

Field Experiment on a “Star Type” Metropolitan Quantum Key Distribution Network

Quantum key distribution (QKD) networks have recently attracted growing attention. The topology of the local QKD network is the basis of the next-generation global secure communication network. In this letter, we report a realization of a wavelength-routing star type QKD network which can span a metropolis using a commercial backbone optical fiber network without trusted relays. The longest and the shortest fiber lengths between two geographically separated nodes are 42.6 and 32 km, respectively, and the maximum average quantum bit-error rate is below 8%. A novel analysis model with experimental validation is also proposed to evaluate the users performance in this network under the condition of maximum multiuser crosstalk.

Experimental demonstration of a quantum key distribution without signal disturbance monitoring

Shuang Wang,1 Zhen-Qiang Yin,1 Wei Chen,1, ∗ De-Yong He,1 Xiao-Tian Song,1 Hong-Wei Li,1 Li-Jun Zhang,1 Zheng Zhou,1 Guang-Can Guo,1 and Zheng-Fu Han1, † 1 Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information & Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China

Field test of wavelength-saving quantum key distribution network.

We propose a wavelength-saving topology of a quantum key distribution (QKD) network based on passive optical elements, and we report on the field test of this network on commercial telecom optical fiber at the frequency of 20 MHz. In this network, five nodes are supported with two wavelengths, and every two nodes can share secure keys directly at the same time. We also characterized the insertion loss and cross talk effects on the point-to-point QKD system after introducing this QKD network.

Quantum hacking of a continuous-variable quantum-key-distribution system using a wavelength attack

The security proofs of continuous-variable quantum key distribution are based on the assumptions that the eavesdropper can neither act on the local oscillator nor control Bob’s beam splitter. These assumptions may be invalid in practice due to potential imperfections in the im plementations of such protocols. In this paper, we consider the problem of transmitting the local oscillator i n a public channel and propose a wavelength attack which can allow the eavesdropper to control the intensity transmission of Bob’s beam splitter by switching the wavelength of the input light. Specifically we target con tinuous-variable quantum key distribution systems that use the heterodyne detection protocol using either dir ect or reverse reconciliation. Our attack is proved to be feasible and renders all of the final key shared between t he legitimate parties insecure, even if they have monitored the intensity of the local oscillator. To prevent our attack on commercial systems, a simple wavelength filter should be randomly added before performing the monito ring detection. PACS numbers:

Quantum hacking on quantum key distribution using homodyne detection

Imperfect devices in commercial quantum key distribution systems open security loopholes that an eavesdropper may exploit. An example of one such imperfection is the wavelength dependent coupling ratio of the fiber beam splitter. Utilizing this loophole, the eavesdropper can vary the transmittances of the fiber beam splitter at the receivers side by inserting lights with wavelengths different from what is normally used. Here, we propose a wavelength attack on a practical continuous-variable quantum key distribution system using homodyne detection. By inserting light pulses at different wavelengths, this attack allows the eavesdropper to bias the shot noise estimation even if it is done in real time. Based on experimental data, we discuss the feasibility of this attack and suggest a prevention scheme by improving the previously proposed countermeasures.

Mismatched-basis statistics enable quantum key distribution with uncharacterized qubit sources

In the postprocessing of quantum key distribution, the raw key bits from the mismatched-basis measurements, where two parties use different bases, are normally discarded. Here, we propose a postprocessing method that exploits measurement statistics from mismatched-basis cases, and prove that incorporating these statistics enables uncharacterized qubit sources to be used in the measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution protocol and the Bennett-Brassard 1984 protocol, a case which is otherwise impossible.

Proof-of-principle experiment of reference-frame-independent quantum key distribution with phase coding

We have demonstrated a proof-of-principle experiment of reference-frame-independent phase coding quantum key distribution (RFI-QKD) over an 80-km optical fiber. After considering the finite-key bound, we still achieve a distance of 50 km. In this scenario, the phases of the basis states are related by a slowly time-varying transformation. Furthermore, we developed and realized a new decoy state method for RFI-QKD systems with weak coherent sources to counteract the photon-number-splitting attack. With the help of a reference-frame-independent protocol and a Michelson interferometer with Faraday rotator mirrors, our system is rendered immune to the slow phase changes of the interferometer and the polarization disturbances of the channel, making the procedure very robust.