Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Semi-Quantum Key Distribution with Single Photons in both Polarization and Spatial-Mode Degrees of Freedom

  • Published:
International Journal of Theoretical Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper, a novel semi-quantum key distribution (SQKD) protocol is designed based on single photons in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom, which allows to establish a raw key between one quantum communicant and one classical communicant. The proposed SQKD protocol only adopts one kind of quantum state as the initial quantum resource. The detailed security analysis shows that it can resist Eve’s active attacks, such as the intercept-resend attack, the measure-resend attack, the Trojan horse attack and the entangle-measure attack. The proposed SQKD protocol only needs single photons in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom as quantum resource and employs single-photon measurements. Thus, it has excellent feasibility, since the preparation and the measurement of a single photon in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom can be easily acheived with present quantum technologies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Boyer, M., Kenigsberg, D., Mor, T.: Quantum key distribution with classical Bob. Phys. Rev. Lett. 99(14), 140501 (2007)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Boyer, M., Gelles, R., Kenigsberg, D., Mor, T.: Semiquantum key distribution. Phys. Rev. A. 79(3), 032341 (2009)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  3. Zou, X.F., Qiu, D.W., Li, L.Z., Wu, L.H., Li, L.J.: Semiquantum-key distribution using less than four quantum states. Phys. Rev. A. 79(5), 052312 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Zhang, X.Z., Gong, W.G., Tan, Y.G., Ren, Z.Z., Guo, X.T.: Quantum key distribution series network protocol with M-classical Bobs. Chin. Phys. B. 18(6), 2143–2148 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wang, J., Zhang, S., Zhang, Q., Tang, C.J.: Semiquantum key distribution using entangled states. Chin. Phys. Lett. 28(10), 100301 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sun, Z.W., Du, R.G., Long, D.Y.: Quantum key distribution with limited classical Bob. Int. J. Quant. Inform. 11(1), 1350005 (2013)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  7. Krawec, W.O.: Restricted attacks on semi-quantum key distribution protocols. Quantum Inf. Process. 13(11), 2417–2436 (2014)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. Zou, X.F., Qiu, D.W., Zhang, S.Y., Mateus, P.: Semiquantum key distribution without invoking the classical party’s measurement capability. Quantum Inf. Process. 14(8), 2981–2996 (2015)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Krawec, W.O.: Mediated semi-quantum key distribution. Phys. Rev. A. 91(3), 032323 (2015)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Krawec, W.O.: Security of a semi-quantum protocol where reflections contribute to the secret key. Quantum Inf. Process. 15(5), 2067–2090 (2016)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  11. Boyer, M., Katz, M., Liss, R., Mor, T.: A new and feasible protocol for semi-quantum key distribution. 2017, http://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/170107044.pdf

  12. Zhang, W., Qiu, D.W., Mateus, P.: Security of a single-state semi-quantum key distribution protocol. Quantum Inf. Process. 17, 135 (2018)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  13. Tsai, C.L., Hwang, T.: Semi-quantum key distribution robust against combined collective noise. Int. J. Theor. Phys. 57, 3410–3418 (2018)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  14. Tsai, C.L., Yang, C.W.: Cryptanalysis and improvement of the semi-quantum key distribution robust against combined collective noise. Int. J. Theor. Phys. 58, 2244–2250 (2019)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  15. Wang, M.M., Gong, L.M., Shao, L.H.: Efficient semiquantum key distribution without entanglement. Quantum Inf. Process. 18, 260 (2019)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  16. Liu, D., Chen, J.L., Jiang, W.: High-capacity quantum secure direct communication with single photons in both polarization and spatial- mode degrees of freedom. Int. J. Theor. Phys. 51, 2923–2929 (2012)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. Wang, L.L., Ma, W.P., Shen, D.S., Wang, M.L.: Efficient bidirectional quantum secure direct communication with single photons in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom. Int. J. Theor. Phys. 54, 3443–3453 (2015)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhang, C., Situ, H.Z.: Information leakage in efficient bidirectional quantum secure direct communication with single photons in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom. Int. J. Theor. Phys. 55, 4702–4708 (2016)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  19. Wang, L.L., Ma, W.P., Wang, M.L., Shen, D.S.: Three-party quantum secure direct communication with single photons in both polarization and spatial-mode degrees of freedom. Int. J. Theor. Phys. 55, 2490–2499 (2016)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  20. Cai, Q.Y.: Eavesdropping on the two-way quantum communication protocols with invisible photons. Phys. Lett. A. 351(1–2), 23–25 (2006)

    Article  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  21. Gisin, N., Ribordy, G., Tittel, W., Zbinden, H.: Quantum cryptography. Rev. Mod. Phys. 74(1), 145–195 (2002)

    Article  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  22. Deng, F.G., Zhou, P., Li, X.H., Li, C.Y., Zhou, H.Y.: Robustness of two-way quantum communication protocols against Trojan horse attack. 2005, http://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0508168.pdf

  23. Li, X.H., Deng, F.G., Zhou, H.Y.: Improving the security of secure direct communication based on the secret transmitting order of particles. Phys. Rev. A. 74, 054302 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Funding by the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (Grant No.LY18F020007) is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Information & Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, People’s Republic of China

    Tian-Yu Ye, Hong-Kun Li & Jia-Li Hu

Authors
  1. Tian-Yu Ye
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hong-Kun Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jia-Li Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tian-Yu Ye.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ye, TY., Li, HK. & Hu, JL. Semi-Quantum Key Distribution with Single Photons in both Polarization and Spatial-Mode Degrees of Freedom. Int J Theor Phys 59, 2807–2815 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10773-020-04540-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10773-020-04540-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation