Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Experimental Assessment

Overview and performance assessment of QKD system at JRC

Security of communication is an essential requirement for sensitive and critical information. The encryption protocols are currently used for protecting the data transmissions against possible eavesdroppers. However they are already under attack and will become vulnerable when quantum computers will be available. The development and the transition to more secure techniques for data communications are therefore required for the next decade and if possible even sooner.
Transmission of single photons (or quantum) in optical fibres represents a secure way of communicating, as possible attacks or eavesdrops would not pass undetected, thanks to the physical properties of quantum systems. The security principle of quantum communication is nowadays exploited in commercial equipment for the purpose of exchanging cryptographic keys required by the encryption algorithms. In such quantum key distribution (QKD) systems, the cryptographic keys are encoded into single photons and transmitted via optical fibres.
This document aims to assess the performance and limitations of QKD systems, and more specifically of the commercial QKD system by ID Quantique (IDQ) installed at JRC. After an overview of the QKD system and its configuration, performance assessment is reported for different cases of fibre link length or loss.

CERUTTI Isabella ; LEWIS Adam ; BONAVITACOLA Fausto

Cerutti, I., Lewis, A. and Bonavitacola, F., Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Experimental Assessment, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2023, doi:10.2760/804200, JRC132426.

2023-09-05

Publications Office of the European Union

JRC132426

978-92-68-05663-9 (online)

1831-9424 (online)

EUR 31594 EN , OP KJ-NA-31-594-EN-N (online)