Wireless Quantum Key Distribution in Indoor Environments

TL;DR

This paper explores the feasibility of wireless quantum key distribution in indoor environments, demonstrating practical conditions under which secure keys can be exchanged despite background light and loss, enabling mobile quantum communication access.

Contribution

It introduces a practical regime for indoor wireless QKD, balancing background light and receiver field of view to enable mobility without strict beam steering requirements.

Findings

Secret keys can be exchanged under certain background light conditions.

Trade-off identified between background light and receiver field of view.

Mobility for QKD users is achievable without stringent beam steering.

Abstract

We propose and study the feasibility of wireless quantum key distribution (QKD) in indoor environments. Such systems are essential in providing wireless access to the developing quantum communications networks. We find a practical regime of operation, where, in the presence of external light sources and loss, secret keys can be exchanged. Our findings identify the trade-off between the acceptable amount of background light and the receiver field of view, where the latter affects the ease of access to the QKD system. In particular, we show that, using a proper setting, we can provide mobility for the QKD users without imposing stringent conditions on beam steering.