Paper 1570692819
Back to session: Special Session #1Algorithm for State-of-Polarization Generation in Polarization-Encoding Quantum Key Distribution
⭐ 🥇 Winner of the CONFTELE 2021 Best Paper Award 🥇⭐
$logged_in: $session_started: 1Speaker:
Sara ManteyInstituto de Telecomunicações and University of Aveiro
Portugal
Polarization-encoding, Quantum communications, Quantum key distribution, State-of-polarization
Abstract:
In this paper we propose and validate an algorithm for the automatic and deterministic state of polarization (SOP) generation, with direct application in polarization-encoded quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. The proposed SOP generation algorithm uses an electronic polarization controller (EPC), whose active elements entail the concatenation of several fiber-squeezing-based waveplates. Initially, we carry out a characterization of the waveplates. After that, we present in detail the working principle of the proposed algorithm. Finally, the effectiveness of the algorithm is experimentally assessed through the calculation of the quantum bit error rate (QBER), where an Arduino Due is used to control the different waveplates of the EPC. The QBER was measured for periods of 4 hours and 10 hours when generating two or four SOPs, respectively, with an overall average QBER value of 2%. Results show the potential of the proposed method regarding the generation of automatic and deterministic SOPs, thus demonstrating viability for its practical implementation in polarization-encoding QKD systems.
Sara Mantey and Mariana Ramos (Instituto de Telecomunicações and University of Aveiro, Portugal); Nuno Alexandre Silva (Instituto de Telecomunicações & University of Aveiro, Portugal); Armando Nolasco Pinto (Instituto de Telecomunicações - Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal); Nelson Muga (Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal)
