An Overview of Postprocessing in Quantum Key Distribution

Yi Luo, Xi Cheng, Hao-Kun Mao and Qiong Li ()
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Yi Luo: School of Cyberspace Science, Faculty of Computing, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Xi Cheng: School of Cyberspace Science, Faculty of Computing, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Hao-Kun Mao: School of Cyberspace Science, Faculty of Computing, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Qiong Li: School of Cyberspace Science, Faculty of Computing, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China

Mathematics, 2024, vol. 12, issue 14, 1-44

Abstract: Quantum key distribution (QKD) technology is a frontier in the field of secure communication, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to offer information-theoretically secure keys. Postprocessing is an important part of a whole QKD system because it directly impacts the secure key rate and the security of the system. In particular, with the fast increase in the photon transmission frequency in a QKD system, the processing speed of postprocessing becomes an essential issue. Our study embarks on a comprehensive review of the development of postprocessing of QKD, including five subprotocols, namely, parameter estimation, sifting, information reconciliation, privacy amplification, and channel authentication. Furthermore, we emphasize the issues raised in the implementation of these subprotocols under practical scenarios, such as limited computation or storage resources and fluctuations in channel environments. Based on the composable security theory, we demonstrate how enhancements in each subprotocol influence the secure key rate and security parameters, which can provide meaningful insights for future advancements in QKD.

Keywords: quantum key distribution; postprocessing; information reconciliation; privacy amplification; authentication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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