Differential phase shift quantum key distribution

Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) has been studied as an ultimate method for secure communications, and it now is emerging as a technology that can be deployed in real fibre networks. Here, we present our QKD experiments based on the differential phase shift QKD (DPS-QKD) protocol. A DPS-QKD system has a simple configuration that is easy to implement with conventional optical communication components, and it is suitable for a high clock rate system. Moreover, although the DPS-QKD system is implemented with an attenuated laser source, it is inherently secure against strong eavesdropping attacks called photon number splitting attacks, which pose a serious threat to conventional QKD systems with attenuated laser sources. We also describe three types of single photon detectors that are suitable for high-speed, long-distance QKD: an up- conversion detector, a superconducting single photon detector, and a sinusoidally gated InGaAs avalanche photodiode. We present our record setting QKD experiments that employed those detectors.