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arXiv · 2010.09399

Use of a Local Local Oscillator for the Satellite-to-Earth Channel

Abstract

Continuous variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) offers information-theoretic secure key sharing between two parties. The sharing of a phase reference frame is an essential requirement for coherent detection in CV-QKD. Due to the potential attacks related to transmitting the local oscillator (LO) alongside quantum signals, there has been a focus on using local LOs (LLOs) to establish a shared phase reference. In this work, we develop a new noise model of a current state-of-the-art LLO scheme in the context of the satellite-to-Earth channel. In doing this, we encapsulate detailed phase-screen calculations that determine the coherent efficiency - a critical parameter in free-space CV-QKD that characterizes the wavefront aberrations caused by atmospheric turbulence. Using our new noise model we then determine the CV-QKD key rates for the satellite-to-Earth channel, secure under general attacks in the finite-size regime of the LLO scheme. Our results are of practical importance for next-generation quantum-enabled satellites that utilize multi-photon technology as opposed to single-photon technology.

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Sebastian Kish, Eduardo Villaseñor, Robert Malaney, Kerry Mudge, Kenneth Grant. 2020-10-19. Use of a Local Local Oscillator for the Satellite-to-Earth Channel. https://doi.org/10.1109/icc42927.2021.9500392

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