Experimental Decoy State Quantum Key Distribution Over 120km Fibre

Decoy state quantum key distribution （QKD）, being capable of beating PNS attack and being unconditionally secure has become attractive recently. However, in many QKD systems, disturbances of transmission channel make the quantum bit error rate （QBER） increase, which limits both security distance and key bit rate of real-world decoy state QKD systems. We demonstrate the two-intensity decoy QKD with a one-way Faraday- Michelson phase modulation system, which is free of channel disturbance and keeps an interference fringe visibility （99%） long period, over a 120 km single mode optical fibre in telecom （1550nm） wavelength. This is the longest distance fibre decoy state QKD system based on the two-intensity protocol.     

Improving Continuous-Variable Measurement-Device-Independent Multipartite Quantum Communication with Optical Amplifiers

The developing tendency of continuous-variable(CV) measurement-device-independent(MDI) quantum cryptography is to cope with the practical issue of implementing scalable quantum networks. Up to now, most theoretical and experimental researches on CV-MDI QKD are focused on two-party protocols. However, we suggest a CV-MDI multipartite quantum secret sharing(QSS) protocol use the EPR states coupled with optical amplifiers. More remarkable,QSS is the real application in multipartite CV-MDI QKD, in other words, is the concrete implementation method of multipartite CV-MDI QKD. It can implement a practical quantum network scheme, under which the legal participants create the secret correlations by using EPR states connecting to an untrusted relay via insecure links and applying the multi-entangled Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger(GHZ) state analysis at relay station. Even if there is a possibility that the relay may be completely tampered, the legal participants are still able to extract a secret key from network communication. The numerical simulation indicates that the quantum network communication can be achieved in an asymmetric scenario, fulfilling the demands of a practical quantum network. Additionally, we illustrate that the use of optical amplifiers can compensate the partial inherent imperfections of detectors and increase the transmission distance of the CV-MDI quantum system.     

Polarization Encoded Quantum Key Distribution over Special Optical Fibres

Employing a polarization compensator, an optical fibre quantum key distribution （QKD） system based on polarization coding has been developed. To obtain the compensator setting parameters, the measurement of the laser pulse polarization is performed with one single photon detector. We obtain a sifted key bit rate of about 2kbits/s and a qubit error rate lower than 10% within 3.5h. It is shown that polarization coding can be used for QKD over optical fibres as well. At the same time, the system is simple, easy to operate, practical and user-friendly. It gains more advantages than other systems over optical fibres when used in local area quantum communications and where the functional agility is important.     

Fluctuation Analysis of Decoy State QKD with Finite Data-Set Size

Decoy state method quantum key distribution （QKD） is one of the promising practical solutions for BB84 QKD with coherent light pulses. The number of data-set size in practical QKD protocol is always finite, which will cause statistical fluctuations. In this paper, we apply absolutely statistical fluctuation to amend the yield and error rate of the quantum state. The relationship between exchanged number of quantum signals and key generation rate is analyzed in our simulation, which offers a useful reference for experiment.     

The Time Division Multi-Channel Communication Model and the Correlative Protocol Based on Quantum Time Division Multi-Channel Communication

Based on the classical time division multi-channel communication theory, we present a scheme of quantum time- division multi-channel communication （QTDMC）. Moreover, the model of quantum time division switch （QTDS） and correlative protocol of QTDMC are proposed. The quantum bit error rate （QBER） is analyzed and the QBER simulation test is performed. The scheme shows that the QTDS can carry out multi-user communication through quantum channel, the QBER can also reach the reliability requirement of communication, and the protocol of QTDMC has high practicability and transplantable. The scheme of QTDS may play an important role in the establishment of quantum communication in a large scale in the future.     

Effect of excess noise on continuous variable entanglement sudden death and Gaussian quantum discord

A symmetric two-mode Gaussian entangled state is used to investigate the effect of excess noise on entanglement sudden death and Gaussian quantum discord with continuous variables. The results show that the excess noise in the channel can lead to entanglement sudden death of a symmetric two-mode Gaussian entangled state, while Gaussian quantum discord never vanishes. As a practical application, the security of a quantum key distribution （QKD） scheme based on a symmetric two-mode Gaussian entangled state against collective Gaussian attacks is analyzed. The calculation results show that the secret key cannot be distilled when entanglement vanishes and only quantum discord exists in such a QKD scheme.     

Security of a practical semi-device-independent quantum key distribution protocol against collective attacks

Similar to device-independent quantum key distribution(DI-QKD), semi-device-independent quantum key distribution(SDI-QKD) provides secure key distribution without any assumptions about the internal workings of the QKD devices.The only assumption is that the dimension of the Hilbert space is bounded. But SDI-QKD can be implemented in a oneway prepare-and-measure configuration without entanglement compared with DI-QKD. We propose a practical SDI-QKD protocol with four preparation states and three measurement bases by considering the maximal violation of dimension witnesses and specific processes of a QKD protocol. Moreover, we prove the security of the SDI-QKD protocol against collective attacks based on the min-entropy and dimension witnesses. We also show a comparison of the secret key rate between the SDI-QKD protocol and the standard QKD.     

The queueing model for quantum key distribution network

This paper develops a QKD(quantum key distribution)-based queueing model to investigate the data delay on QKD link and network,especially that based on trusted relays.It shows the mean packet delay performance of the QKD system.Furthermore,it proposes a key buffering policy which could effectively improve the delay performance in practice.The results will be helpful for quality of service in practical QKD systems.     

Scintillation discriminator improves free-space quantum key distribution

We present an analysis of the impact of afluctuating-loss channel on free-space quantum key distribution （QKD）. Considering the characteristics of the fluctuating-loss channel, a scintillation discriminator that acts according to the information of instant channel loss is proposed to help improve the performance of a free-space QKD system, which suffers from the influence of atmospheric turbulence. Theoretical and numerical results show that this discriminator is a useful tool for increasing secure key rates, especially for long-range free-space QKD.     

Practical Quantum Private Query with Classical Participants

Quantum key distribution(QKD)-based quantum private query(QPQ) is a practical application of QKD, which relaxes the security condition of perfectly concealing a private query to a cheating-sensitive strategy. We propose a QPQ protocol based on the delegated QKD scheme(DQKD-based QPQ), in which two almost ‘classical' clients(data user and database owner) can establish a 1-out-of-N oblivious key with the help of a cloud server with full quantum ability. Concretely, the two classical participants in the DQKD-based QPQ only need to access the quantum channel and reorder qubits, and the costly quantum operations, quantum state preparation and measurement are outsourced to a full quantum server in the cloud without leaking participants' privacy. The proposed protocol not only provides a cloud-based framework of QKD-based QPQ, but also obtains better security by a real-time security check, which can protect the security of the database and user against all potential attacks even if the quantum server is assumed to be a powerfully untrusted adversary.     

Block-free optical quantum Banyan network based on quantum state fusion and fission

Optical switch fabric plays an important role in building multiple-user optical quantum communication networks.Owing to its self-routing property and low complexity, a banyan network is widely used for building switch fabric. While,there is no efficient way to remove internal blocking in a banyan network in a classical way, quantum state fusion, by which the two-dimensional internal quantum states of two photons could be combined into a four-dimensional internal state of a single photon, makes it possible to solve this problem. In this paper, we convert the output mode of quantum state fusion from spatial-polarization mode into time-polarization mode. By combining modified quantum state fusion and quantum state fission with quantum Fredkin gate, we propose a practical scheme to build an optical quantum switch unit which is block free. The scheme can be extended to building more complex units, four of which are shown in this paper.     

Afterpulsing characteristics of InGaAs/InP single photon avalanche diodes

In Ga As/In P single photon avalanche diodes（SPADs） are more and more available in many research fields. They are affected by afterpulsing which leads to a poor single photon detection probability. We present an In Ga As/In P avalanche photodiode with an active quenching circuit on an application specific integrated circuit（ASIC）. It can quench the avalanche rapidly and then reduce the afterpulse rate. Also this quenching circuit can operate in both free-running and gated modes.Furthermore, a new technique is introduced to characterize the influence of the higher order of afterpulses, which uses a program running on a field programmable gate array（FPGA） integrated circuit.     

Temperature dependence of the photoluminescence of MnS/ZnS core–shell quantum dots

The temperature dependence of the photoluminescence（PL） from Mn S/Zn S core–shell quantum dots is investigated in a temperature range of 8 K–300 K. The orange emission from the ^4T1→^6A1transition of Mn^2＋ions and the blue emission related to the trapped surface state are observed in the Mn S/Zn S core–shell quantum dots. As the temperature increases, the orange emission is shifted toward a shorter wavelength while the blue emission is shifted towards the longer wavelength. Both the orange and blue emissions reduce their intensities with the increase of temperature but the blue emission is quenched faster. The temperature-dependent luminescence intensities of the two emissions are well explained by the thermal quenching theory.     

A quantum efficiency analytical model for complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor image pixels with a pinned photodiode structure

A quantum efficiency analytical model for complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor（CMOS） image pixels with a pinned photodiode structure is developed. The proposed model takes account of the non-uniform doping distribution in the N-type region due to the impurity compensation formed by the actual fabricating process. The characteristics of two boundary PN junctions located in the N-type region for the particular spectral response of a pinned photodiode, are quantitatively analyzed. By solving the minority carrier steady-state diffusion equations and the barrier region photocurrent density equations successively, the analytical relationship between the quantum efficiency and the corresponding parameters such as incident wavelength, N-type width, peak doping concentration, and impurity density gradient of the N-type region is established. The validity of the model is verified by the measurement results with a test chip of 160×160 pixels array,which provides the accurate process with a theoretical guidance for quantum efficiency design in pinned photodiode pixels.     

Thermodynamics around magnetic phase transitions in alternating double-chain spin systems

The thermodynamics and quantum phase transitions of two typically alternating double-chain systems are investigated by Green＇s function theory.（i） For the completely antiferromagnetic（AFM） alternating double-chain, the low-temperature antiferromagnetism with gapped behavior is observed, which is in accordance with the experimental result. In a magnetic field, we unveil the ground state phase diagram with zero plateau, 1/2 plateau, and polarized ferromagnetic（FM） phases,as a result of the intra-cluster spin-singlet competition. Furthermore, the Gr ¨uneisen ratio is an excellent tool to identify the quantum criticality and testify various quantum phases.（ii） For the antiferromagnetically coupled FM alternating chains,the 1/2 magnetization plateau and double-peak structure of specific heat appear, which are also observed experimentally.Nevertheless, the M–h curve shows an anomalous behavior in an ultra-low field, which is ascribed to the effectively weak Haldane-like state, demonstrated by the two-site entanglement entropy explicitly.     

A Novel Deterministic Quantum Communication Scheme Using Stabilizer Quantum Code

Exploiting the encoding process of the stabilizer quantum code [[n, k, d]], a deterministic quantum communication scheme, in which n - 1 photons are distributed forward and backward in two-way channel, is proposed to transmit the secret messages with unconditional security. The present scheme can be implemented to distribute the secret quantum （or classical） messages with great capacity in imperfect quantum channel since the utilized code encodes k-qubit messages for each scheme run.     

Isospin violation,light quark masses,and all that

Isospin violation is driven through the light quark mass difference and electromagnetic effects.I review recent progress in extracting the light quark mass difference and tests of the chiral dynamics of Quantum Chromodynamics in various reactions involving light as well as heavy quarks.     

Quantum Communication Scheme Using Non-symmetric Quantum Channel

A theoretical quantum communication scheme based on entanglement swapping and superdense coding is proposed with a 3-dimensional Bell state and 2-dimensional Bell state function as quantum channel, quantum key distribution and quantum secure direct communication can be simultaneously accomplished in the scheme. The scheme is secure and has high source capacity. At last, we generalize the quantum communication scheme to d-dimensional quantum channel     

An autobias control system for the electro optic modulator used in a quantum key distribution system

In a quantum key distribution system, it is crucial to keep the extinction ratio of the coherent pulses stable. This means that the direct current bias point of the electro–optic modulator(EOM) used for generating coherent pulses must be locked. In this paper, an autobias control system based on a lock-in-amplifier for the EOM is introduced. Its drift information extracting theory and control method are analyzed comprehensively. The long term drift of the extinction ratio of the coherent pulses is measured by a single photon detector, which indicates that the autobias control system is effective for stabilizing the bias point of the EOM.     

Multi-state Quantum Teleportation via One Entanglement State

A multi-sender-controlled quantum teleportation scheme is proposed to teleport several secret quantum states from different senders to a distance receiver based on only one Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen （EPR） pair with controlled-NOT （CNOT） gates. In the present scheme, several secret single-qubit quantum states are encoded into a multi-qubit entangled quantum state. Two communication modes, i.e., the detecting mode and the message mode, are employed so that the eavesdropping can be detected easily and the teleported message may be recovered efficiently. It has an advantage over teleporting several different quantum states for one scheme run with more efficiency than the previous quantum teleportation schemes.