Chip-based quantum key distribution.
Improvement in secure transmission of information is an urgent need for governments, corporations and individuals. Quantum key distribution (QKD) promises security based on the laws of physics and has rapidly grown from proof-of-concept to robust demonstrations and deployment of commercial systems. Despite these advances, QKD has not been widely adopted, and large-scale deployment will likely require chip-based devices for improved performance, miniaturization and enhanced functionality. Here we report low error rate, GHz clocked QKD operation of an indium phosphide transmitter chip and a silicon oxynitride receiver chip-monolithically integrated devices using components and manufacturing processes from the telecommunications industry. We use the reconfigurability of these devices to demonstrate three prominent QKD protocols-BB84, Coherent One Way and Differential Phase Shift-with performance comparable to state-of-the-art. These devices, when combined with integrated single photon detectors, pave the way for successfully integrating QKD into future telecommunications networks.
Centre for Quantum Photonics, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK.
P
P
Sibson
Centre for Quantum Photonics, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK.
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0000-0001-6325-2668
C
Erven
Centre for Quantum Photonics, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK.
M
M
Godfrey
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), 588-2 Iwaoka, Kobe 651-2492, Japan.
S
S
Miki
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), 588-2 Iwaoka, Kobe 651-2492, Japan.
T
T
Yamashita
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), 4-2-1 Nukui-Kitamachi, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8795, Japan.
M
M
Fujiwara
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), 4-2-1 Nukui-Kitamachi, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8795, Japan.
M
M
Sasaki
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), 588-2 Iwaoka, Kobe 651-2492, Japan.
H
H
Terai
School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
M G
MG
Tanner
School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
C M
CM
Natarajan
School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
R H
RH
Hadfield
Centre for Quantum Photonics, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK.
J L
JL
O'Brien
Centre for Quantum Photonics, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK.
M G
MG
Thompson