Long-distance entanglement-based quantum key distribution experiment using practical detectors

Opt Express. 2010 Aug 2;18(16):16777-87. doi: 10.1364/OE.18.016777.

Abstract

We report an entanglement-based quantum key distribution experiment that we performed over 100 km of optical fiber using a practical source and detectors. We used a silicon-based photon-pair source that generated high-purity time-bin entangled photons, and high-speed single photon detectors based on InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes with the sinusoidal gating technique. To calculate the secure key rate, we employed a security proof that validated the use of practical detectors. As a result, we confirmed the successful generation of sifted keys over 100 km of optical fiber with a key rate of 4.8 bit/s and an error rate of 9.1%, with which we can distill secure keys with a key rate of 0.15 bit/s.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Security / instrumentation
  • Computer Simulation*
  • Equipment Design
  • Fiber Optic Technology / instrumentation*
  • Optical Fibers*
  • Photons*
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Telecommunications / instrumentation*