Optimizing state-discrimination receivers for continuous-variable quantum key distribution over a wiretap channel

TL;DR

This paper develops and compares optimized quantum receivers for continuous-variable quantum key distribution over wiretap channels, demonstrating increased secure key rates especially for metropolitan distances and feasible implementations.

Contribution

It introduces a key-rate optimized receiver (KOR) for CV-QKD with QPSK states, outperforming existing measurement schemes and analyzing practical implementations.

Findings

KOR increases SKR over metropolitan distances

Feasible schemes like displacement feed-forward improve SKR

Performance surpasses pretty good measurement and heterodyne protocols

Abstract

We address a continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) protocol employing quaternary phase-shift-keying (QPSK) of coherent states and a non-Gaussian measurement inspired by quantum receivers minimizing the error probability in a quantum-state-discrimination scenario. We consider a pure-loss quantum wiretap channel, in which a possible eavesdropper is limited to collect the sole channel losses. We perform a characterization of state-discrimination receivers and design an optimized receiver maximizing the asymptotic secure key rate (SKR), namely the key-rate optimized receiver (KOR), comparing its performance with respect to the pretty good measurement (PGM) and the heterodyne-based protocol. We show that the KOR increases the SKR for metropolitan-network distances. Finally, we also investigate the implementations of feasible schemes, such as the displacement feed-forward receiver, obtaining an increase in the SKR in particular regimes.