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QKD on a Board Limited by Detector Rates in a Free-Space Environment

Authors:
Alan Mink
Joshua Bienfang

Keywords: quantum communication, QKD, programmable instrumentation, gigahertz signals

Abstract:
We discuss a high-speed quantum key distribution (QKD) system with the protocol infrastructure implemented on a printed circuit board that can operate with various photonic subsystems. We achieve sub-nanosecond resolution with serial data receivers operating up to 2.5 Gb/s. Data processing bottlenecks are avoided with pipelined algorithms and controlled data flow implemented in a field-programmable gate array. This eliminates processing on the attached computer and frees CPU cycles for related activities, such as key management and system monitoring. Operating in a laboratory setting, we tested the QKD boards up to their maximum 2.5 GHz transmission rate, and found that under low-link-loss, high-count-rate conditions, timing jitter in the single-photon detectors imposed critical limitations to the maximum achievable throughput.

Pages: 28 to 33

Copyright: Copyright (c) The Government of USA, 2013. Used by permission to IARIA.

Publication date: August 25, 2013

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-3530

ISBN: 978-1-61208-303-2

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Dates: from August 25, 2013 to August 31, 2013