METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OPTICAL PULSES FOR QKD

摘要

Methods and apparatus for generating coherent optical pulses (P1', P2') in a quantum key distribution (QKD) station (Alice-N) of a QKD system (10) without using an optical fiber interferometer (12) are disclosed. The method includes generating a continuous wave (CW) beam of coherent radiation (R) having a coherence length LC and modulating the CW beam within the coherence length. The invention obviates the need for an interferometer loop to form multiple optical pulses from a single optical pulse, thereby obviating the need for thermal stabilization of the interferometer loop at the QKD station Alice-N.