QUANTUM CRYPTOGRAPHIC KEY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM INCLUDING TWO PERIPHERAL DEVICES AND AN OPTICAL SOURCE

摘要

A quantum cryptographic key distribution system, including: an optical source which generates a plurality of optical pulses; an optical beam splitter, which generates, starting from each optical pulse, a first and a second optical sub-pulse; a first and a second peripheral device; and an optical path having a first and a second end connected to the optical beam splitter, the optical path extending through the first and second peripheral devices and being traversed in opposite directions by the first and second optical sub-pulses. The peripheral device randomly phase shifts the second optical sub-pulse by a first phase, and the second peripheral device randomly phase shifts the first optical sub-pulse by a second phase. Furthermore, the optical path is such as to cause interference in the first optical beam splitter between the first and second optical sub-pulses, as a function of first and second phases.

主权项

1. A quantum cryptographic key distribution system comprising:
an optical source (62) configured to generate a plurality of optical pulses; a first optical beam splitter (80) configured to generate, starting from each optical pulse, a first and a second optical sub-pulse; a first and a second peripheral device (50, 52); and an optical path (50,52,82,84,90,92) having a first and a second end connected to the first optical beam splitter, said optical path extending through the first and second peripheral devices and also being configured to be traversed in opposite directions by the first and second optical sub-pulses;and wherein the first peripheral device is configured to randomly phase shift the second optical sub-pulse by a first phase (φA), and the second peripheral device is configured to randomly phase shift the first optical sub-pulse by a second phase (φB); and wherein the optical path is configured so as to cause interference in the first optical beam splitter between the first and second optical sub-pulses, as a function of the first and second phases.