Experimental study on the Gaussian-modulated coherent-state quantum key distribution over standard telecommunication fibers

Abstract

In this paper, we present a fully fiber-based one-way quantum-key- distribution (QKD) system implementing the Gaussian-modulated coherent-state (GMCS) protocol. The system employs a double Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) configuration in which the weak quantum signal and the strong local oscillator (LO) go through the same fiber between Alice and Bob, and are separated into two paths inside Bob's terminal. To suppress the LO leakage into the signal path, which is an important contribution to the excess noise, we implemented a scheme combining polarization and frequency multiplexing, achieving an extinction ratio of 70 dB. To further minimize the system excess noise due to phase drift of the double MZI, we propose that, instead of employing phase feedback control, one simply let Alice remap her data by performing a rotation operation. We further present noise analysis both theoretically and experimentally. Our calculation shows that the combined polarization and frequency multiplexing scheme can achieve better stability in practice than the time-multiplexing scheme, because it allows one to use matched fiber lengths for the signal and the LO paths on both sides of the double MZI, greatly reducing the phase instability caused by unmatched fiber lengths. Our experimental noise analysis quantifies the three main contributions to the excess noise, which will be instructive to future studies of the GMCS QKD systems. Finally, we demonstrate, under the "realistic model" in which Eve cannot control the system within Bob's terminal, a secure key rate of 0.3bit pulse over a 5km fiber link. This key rate is about two orders of magnitude higher than that of a practical Bennett-Brassard 1984 protocol QKD system. © 2007 The American Physical Society.