Quantum secure communication using a multi-photon tolerant protocol

Mayssaa El Rifai; Pramode K. Verma

doi:10.1117/12.2077229

4 March 2015 Quantum secure communication using a multi-photon tolerant protocol

Mayssaa El Rifai, Pramode K. Verma

Proceedings Volume 9377, Advances in Photonics of Quantum Computing, Memory, and Communication VIII; 937713 (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2077229
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2015, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

This paper proposes a quantum secure communication protocol using multiple photons to represent each bit of a message to be shared. The multi-photon tolerant approach to quantum cryptography provides a quantum level security while using more than a single photon per transmission. The protocol proposed is a multi-stage protocol; an explanation of its operation and implementation are provided. The multi-stage protocol is based on the use of unitary transformations known only to Alice and Bob. This paper studies the security aspects of the multi-stage protocol by assessing its vulnerability to different attacks. It is well known that as the number of photons increases, the level of vulnerability of the multi-stage protocol increases. This paper sets a limit on the number of photons that can be used while keeping the multi-stage protocol a multi-photon tolerant quantum secure method for communication. The analysis of the number of photons to be used is based on the probability of success of a Helstrom discrimination done by an eavesdropper on the channel. Limiting the number of photons up to certain threshold per stage makes it impossible for an eavesdropper to decipher the message sent over the channel. The proposed protocol obviates the disadvantages associated with single photon implementations, such as limited data rates and distances along with the need to have no more than a single photon per time slot. The multi-stage protocol is a step toward direct quantum communication rather than quantum key distribution associated with single photon approaches.

Citation Download Citation

Mayssaa El Rifai and Pramode K. Verma "Quantum secure communication using a multi-photon tolerant protocol", Proc. SPIE 9377, Advances in Photonics of Quantum Computing, Memory, and Communication VIII, 937713 (4 March 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2077229

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