High-speed photon counting techniques for broadband quantum key distribution

D. Rogers; J. C. Bienfang; A. Mink; B. J. Hershman; A. Nakassis; L. Ma; X. Tang; D. H. Su; Charles W. Clark; Carl J. Williams

doi:10.1117/12.686188

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25 October 2006 High-speed photon counting techniques for broadband quantum key distribution

D. Rogers, J. C. Bienfang, A. Mink, B. J. Hershman, A. Nakassis, L. Ma, X. Tang, D. H. Su, Charles W. Clark, Carl J. Williams

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Proceedings Volume 6372, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques; 637211 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.686188
Event: Optics East 2006, 2006, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Abstract

Quantum Cryptography has demonstrated the potential for ultra-secure communications. However, with quantumchannel transmission rates in the MHz range, typical link losses and signal-to-noise ratios have resulted in keyproduction rates that are impractical for continuous one-time-pad encryption of high-bandwidth communications. We have developed high-speed data handling electronics that support quantum-channel transmission rates up to 1.25 GHz. This system has demonstrated error-corrected and privacy-amplified key rates above 1 Mbps over a free-space link. While the transmission rate is ultimately limited by timing jitter in the single-photon avalanche photodiodes (SPADs), we find the timing resolution of silicon SPADs sufficient to operate efficiently with temporal gates as short as 100 ps. We have developed systems to implement such high-resolution gating in our system, and anticipate the attendant reduction in noise to produce significantly higher secret-key bitrates.

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D. Rogers, J. C. Bienfang, A. Mink, B. J. Hershman, A. Nakassis, L. Ma, X. Tang, D. H. Su, Charles W. Clark, and Carl J. Williams "High-speed photon counting techniques for broadband quantum key distribution", Proc. SPIE 6372, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques, 637211 (25 October 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.686188

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