Optimizing the decoy-state BB84 QKD protocol parameters

Quantum Information Processing, vol. 20

Abstract

Abstract Quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols allow for information theoretically secure distribution of (classical) cryptographic key material. However, due to practical limitations the performance of QKD implementations is somewhat restricted. For this reason, it is crucial to find optimal protocol parameters, while guaranteeing information theoretic security. The performance of a QKD implementation is determined by the tightness of the underlying security analysis. In particular, the security analyses determines thekey-rate, i.e., the amount of cryptographic key material that can be distributed per time unit. Nowadays, the security analyses of various QKD protocols are well understood. It is known that optimal protocol parameters, such as the number of decoy states and their intensities, can be found by solving a nonlinear optimization problem. The complexity of this optimization problem is typically handled by making a number of heuristic assumptions. For instance, the number of decoy states is restricted to only one or two, with one of the decoy intensities set to a fixed value, and vacuum states are ignored as they are assumed to contribute only marginally to the secure key-rate. These assumptions simplify the optimization problem and reduce the size of search space significantly. However, they also cause the security analysis to be non-tight, and thereby result in sub-optimal performance. In this work, we follow a more rigorous approach using both linear and nonlinear programs describing the optimization problem. Our approach, focusing on the decoy-state BB84 protocol, allows heuristic assumptions to be omitted, and therefore results in a tighter security analysis with better protocol parameters. We show an improved performance for the decoy-state BB84 QKD protocol, demonstrating that the heuristic assumptions typically made are too restrictive. Moreover, our improved optimization frameworks shows that the complexity of the performance optimization problem can also be handled without making heuristic assumptions, even with limited computational resources available.

Authors 3

1. Thomas Attema Aachen Mathematical Institute

   Leiden University · Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research · Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica

   Affiliation as printed

   CWI, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

   Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   TNO, Cyber Security and Robustness, The Hague, The Netherlands

2. Joost Bosman

   Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research

   Affiliation as printed

   TNO, Cyber Security and Robustness, The Hague, The Netherlands

3. Niels M. P. Neumann corresponding

   Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research · Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica

   Affiliation as printed

   CWI, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

   TNO, Cyber Security and Robustness, The Hague, The Netherlands

   Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research