Quantum-Safe Metro Network With Low-Latency Reconfigurable Quantum Key Distribution

This paper reports a practical quantum-safe metro network, integrating optically-switched QKD systems with high speed reconfigurability to protect classical network traffic. Quantum signals are routed by millisecond optical switches and secure keys are shared between any two endpoints or network nod...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of lightwave technology 2018-11, Vol.36 (22), p.5230-5236
Main Authors: Xinke Tang, Wonfor, Adrian, Kumar, Rupesh, Penty, Richard V., White, Ian H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Clocks
Communications traffic
Encryption
Metropolitan area networks
Network latency
Optical attenuators
Optical fiber networks
Optical switches
Protocols
Quantum cryptography
Quantum encryption
quantum key distribution
quantum network
Qubits (quantum computing)
reconfigurable architectures
Reconfiguration
Switches
Traffic speed
Transmitters
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Summary:This paper reports a practical quantum-safe metro network, integrating optically-switched QKD systems with high speed reconfigurability to protect classical network traffic. Quantum signals are routed by millisecond optical switches and secure keys are shared between any two endpoints or network nodes via low-latency reconfigurable connections. Efficient quantum encryption topologies between different end-users are also presented. We show experimentally the feasibility of a rapidly reconfigured QKD transmission system between multiple users in the proposed network. Classical data and control signals coexist with the quantum signals in the same fibre. Proof-of-concept experiments are conducted over effective transmission distances of 30 km, 31.7 km, 33.1 km, and 44.6 km. Software controlled QKD transmission is established between four different transmitters (Alice) and one receiver (Bob) with a switching time of a few milliseconds. The quantum bit error rates for the four paths are proportional to the channel losses with values between 2.6% and 4.1%. Optimization of the reconciliation and clock distribution architecture is predicted to result in a maximum key generation delay of 20 s, far shorter than previously demonstrated.
ISSN:0733-8724
1558-2213
DOI:10.1109/JLT.2018.2870823