Secure quantum imaging with decoy state heralded single photons

TL;DR

This paper explores secure quantum imaging using decoy state heralded single photon sources, demonstrating their advantages in low photon regimes and the potential of decoy state weak coherent sources for higher photon number applications.

Contribution

It introduces the use of decoy state heralded single photon sources for secure quantum imaging, highlighting their performance benefits and operational considerations.

Findings

HSPS offers superior performance in low photon number regimes.

Decoy state WCS can be effective at higher mean photon numbers.

Decoy state methods enhance security in quantum imaging.

Abstract

Weak coherent source (WCS) and spontaneous parametric down converted heralded single photon pairs have found applications in quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum imaging (QI) experiments. Decoy state methods have also been used to enhance the security for QKD and QI. We study quantum secured imaging with the decoy state heralded single photon source (HSPS). The HSPSs superior performance in low photon number regimes makes it an ideal candidate for integrating quantum key distribution protocols to reduce measurement uncertainty and ensure secure QI. Furthermore, our results also infer the influence of the decoy state WCS, due to its higher operating speed than decoy state HSPS, would be effective in conditions that allow higher mean photon numbers for quantum secured imaging.