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Security boundaries of an optical-power limiter for protecting quantum-key-distribution systems

Qingquan Peng, Binwu Gao, Konstantin Zaitsev, Dongyang Wang, Jiangfang Ding, Yingwen Liu, Qin Liao, Ying Guo, Anqi Huang, and Junjie Wu

Phys. Rev. Applied 21, 014026 – Published 16 January 2024

Abstract

Unauthorized light injection has always been a vital threat to the practical security of a quantum-key-distribution (QKD) system. An optical-power limiter (OPL) based on the thermo-optical defocusing effect has been proposed and implemented, limiting the injected hacking light. As a hardware countermeasure, the performance of the OPL under various light-injection attacks will be tested to clarify the security boundary before it is widely deployed. To investigate the security boundary of the OPL in quantum cryptography, we comprehensively test and analyze the behavior of the OPL under continuous-wave (cw) light-injection attacks and pulse-illumination attacks with pulse repetition rates of $0.5$ Hz, $40$ MHz, and $1$ GHz. The test results illuminate the security boundary of the OPL, which allows one to properly employ the OPL in use cases. The methodology of testing and analysis proposed here is applicable to other power-limitation components in a QKD system.

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Received 1 April 2023
Revised 12 October 2023
Accepted 21 December 2023

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.21.014026

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Optical quantum information processing Photonics Quantum communication Quantum cryptography

Devices

Quantum Information, Science & TechnologyAtomic, Molecular & OpticalCondensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Qingquan Peng ^1,2,3, Binwu Gao¹, Konstantin Zaitsev^4,5,6,7,8, Dongyang Wang¹, Jiangfang Ding¹, Yingwen Liu¹, Qin Liao ⁹, Ying Guo^10,2,*, Anqi Huang ^1,†, and Junjie Wu^1,‡

¹Institute for Quantum Information and State Key Laboratory of High Performance Computing, College of Computer Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
²School of Automation, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
³China Greatwall Research Institute, China Greatwall Technology Group Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518057, China
⁴Russian Quantum Center, Skolkovo, Moscow 121205, Russia
⁵NTI Center for Quantum Communications, National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Moscow 119049, Russia
⁶Vigo Quantum Communication Center, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
⁷Escuela de Ingeniería de Telecomunicación, Department of Signal Theory and Communications, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
⁸atlanTTic Research Center, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
⁹College of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
¹⁰School of Computer Science, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China

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Vol. 21, Iss. 1 — January 2024

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Physical Review Applied

Security boundaries of an optical-power limiter for protecting quantum-key-distribution systems

Qingquan Peng, Binwu Gao, Konstantin Zaitsev, Dongyang Wang, Jiangfang Ding, Yingwen Liu, Qin Liao, Ying Guo, Anqi Huang, and Junjie Wu

Phys. Rev. Applied 21, 014026 – Published 16 January 2024

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