High Efficiency Postprocessing for Continuous-variable Quantum Key Distribution: Using All Raw Keys for Parameter Estimation and Key Extraction

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel postprocessing method for continuous-variable quantum key distribution that uses all raw keys for parameter estimation and key extraction, enhancing accuracy and secret key rate.

Contribution

It proposes reversing the order of parameter estimation and information reconciliation, allowing all raw keys to be used for both tasks, improving efficiency.

Findings

Improved accuracy of parameter estimation.

Enhanced secret key rate.

Better transmission distance in QKD systems.

Abstract

High efficiency postprocessing of continuous-variable quantum key distribution system has a significant impact on the secret key rate and transmission distance of the system. Currently, the postprocessing mainly contains four steps in the following order: sifting, parameter estimation, information reconciliation, and privacy amplification. For a quantum channel with unknown prior characteristics, part of the raw keys (typically half) have to be sacrificed to estimate the channel parameters, which is used to assist in error correction (part of information reconciliation) and estimate the secret key rate. This introduces a tradeoff between the secret key rate and the accuracy of parameter estimation when considering the finite-size effect. In this paper, we propose a high efficiency postprocessing method which uses all the raw keys for both parameter estimation and key extraction. It is realized by exchanging the order of parameter estimation and information reconciliation, while the other steps remain unchanged. After the sifting step, the extra data (used for phase compensation and synchronization etc) can be used to roughly estimate the quantum channel parameters, or using the estimated results of last block, thus the error correction can be realized normally. After the success of error correction, the reconciler recovers the raw keys of the other side by a reverse mapping function. Then she uses all the raw keys of both sides for parameter estimation to estimate the quantum channel parameters and calculate the secret key rate of the system. Finally, they perform the privacy amplification step to obtain the unconditional security keys. We show that this method improves the accuracy of parameter estimation and the secret key rate of continuous-variable quantum key distribution system.