Reference-Frame-Independent Quantum-Key-Distribution Server with a Telecom Tether for an On-Chip Client
Pei Zhang, Kanin Aungskunsiri, Enrique Martín-López, Joachim Wabnig, Mirko Lobino, Richard Nock, Jack Munns, Damien Bonneau, P. Jiang, Hongwei Li, Anthony Laing, John G. Rarity, A. O. Niskanen, Mark G. Thompson, Jeremy L. O’Brien · Physical Review Letters · 2014
We demonstrate a client-server quantum key distribution (QKD) scheme. Large resources such as laser and detectors are situated at the server side, which is accessible via telecom fiber to a client requiring only an on-chip polarization rotator, which may be integrated into a handheld device. The detrimental effects of unstable fiber birefringence are overcome by employing the reference-frame-independent QKD protocol for polarization qubits in polarization maintaining fiber, where standard QKD protocols fail, as we show for comparison. This opens the way for quantum enhanced secure communications between companies and members of the general public equipped with handheld mobile devices, via telecom-fiber tethering.