摘要 |
Apparatus for distributing a quantum key between nodes Alice and Allie, comprising a coupler that splits generated photon pulses into first and second pulses P1 and P2; and an interface that transmits the P1's and P2's into a network. The P1's are received after modulation by Alice with respective phases selected from two encoding bases and further selected from within the selected encoding basis as a function of a bit value of a respective bit in a key bit string maintained by Alice. The P2's are received after similar modulation by Allie. A detector processes the P1's and P2's upon receipt to produce a sequence of detection outcomes indicative of phase mismatch between the P1's and corresponding P2's. A control unit receives an indication of occurrences of a match between the encoding bases employed by Alice and the encoding bases employed by Allie, derives an XOR bit string from those detection outcomes that are associated with occurrences of a match, and communicates the XOR bit string to Alice and/or Allie. Execution of an XOR between the XOR bit string and either Alice's or Allie's key bit string allows the two participants to form a shifted key.
|