Disclosure of Invention
Aiming at least one defect or improvement requirement in the prior art, the invention provides a quantum key distribution system, an encoder, a decoder and a method based on circular polarization, which reduce the polarization control required after the system completes spatial alignment, increase the quantum key distribution time in the link establishment time and improve the working efficiency of the system.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circular polarization based quantum key distribution system, comprising:
a first polarizing beam splitter (PBS1) that splits the single photon signal into orthogonal equal vertically and horizontally polarized components; the first end phase modulator is used for carrying out phase modulation on the vertical polarization component to obtain a vertical polarization component modulation signal; a first polarization beam combiner (PBS2) for combining the vertically polarized component modulated signal and the horizontally polarized component; a first quarter glass for converting the vertical polarization component modulation signal and the horizontal polarization component into a left-handed circular polarization component and a right-handed circular polarization component; a second quarter glass for restoring the left-handed circular polarization component and the right-handed circular polarization component into a vertical polarization component modulation signal and a horizontal polarization component; a second polarizing beam splitter (PBS3) for separating the recovered vertical polarization component modulated signal from the horizontal polarization component; a second end phase modulator for phase modulating the recovered horizontal polarization component; and a second polarization beam combiner (PBS4) for combining the recovered horizontal polarization component modulation signal and the vertical polarization component modulation signal.
Further, the quantum key distribution system based on circular polarization also comprises: a single photon source for generating a linearly polarized single photon signal output to said first polarizing beam splitter (PBS 1).
Further, the circular polarization based quantum key distribution system further comprises a third polarization beam splitter (PBS5) for selecting a signal output by the second polarization beam combiner (PBS4), an optical axis of the third polarization beam splitter (PBS5) being rotated by 45 ° compared to an optical axis of the second polarization beam combiner (PBS 4).
Further, the quantum key distribution system based on circular polarization also comprises: and the two single-photon detectors are respectively positioned at two output ends of the third polarization beam splitter (PBS 5).
Further, the optical axes of the first quarter glass sheet and the second quarter glass sheet do not always coincide.
Further, if the bases of the first end phase modulator and the second end phase modulator are the same, the output of the second polarization beam combiner (PBS4) is a linear polarization single photon, and if the bases of the first end phase modulator and the second end phase modulator are different, the output of the second polarization beam combiner (PBS4) is a circular polarization single photon.
Further, if the single photon detector enters the third polarization beam splitter (PBS5) as a linearly polarized single photon, the responses of the two single photon detectors are fixed, and if the single photon detector enters the third polarization beam splitter (PBS5) as a circularly polarized single photon, the responses of the two single photon detectors are random.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circular polarization based quantum key distribution encoder, comprising:
a first polarizing beam splitter (PBS1) that splits the single photon signal into orthogonal equal vertically and horizontally polarized components; the first end phase modulator is used for carrying out phase modulation on the vertical polarization component to obtain a vertical polarization component modulation signal; a first polarization beam combiner (PBS2) for combining the vertically polarized component modulated signal and the horizontally polarized component; and the first quarter glass slide is used for converting the combined signals into a left-handed circular polarization component and a right-handed circular polarization component.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circular polarization based quantum key distribution decoder, comprising:
a second quarter-slide for restoring the received left-hand and right-hand circularly polarized components into a vertical polarized component modulation signal and a horizontal polarized component; a second polarizing beam splitter (PBS3) for separating the recovered vertical polarization component modulated signal from the horizontal polarization component; a second end phase modulator for phase modulating the recovered horizontal polarization component; and a second polarization beam combiner (PBS4) for combining the recovered horizontal polarization component modulation signal and the vertical polarization component modulation signal.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a quantum key distribution method based on circular polarization, comprising the steps of:
splitting the single photon signal into orthogonal equal vertically and horizontally polarized components;
carrying out phase modulation on the vertical polarization component to obtain a vertical polarization component modulation signal;
combining the vertical polarization component modulation signal and the horizontal polarization component;
converting the vertical polarization component modulation signal and the horizontal polarization component into a left-handed circular polarization component and a right-handed circular polarization component;
recovering the left-hand circular polarization component and the right-hand circular polarization component into a vertical polarization component modulation signal and a horizontal polarization component;
separating the recovered vertical polarization component modulation signal from the horizontal polarization component;
phase modulating the recovered horizontal polarization component;
the restored horizontal polarization component modulation signal and vertical polarization component modulation signal are combined.
In general, compared with the prior art, the invention has the following beneficial effects: at the Alice end, dividing single photons into two orthogonal equal polarization components through PBS1, performing phase modulation on the vertical polarization components, combining the polarization components through PBS2, and converting the polarization components into a left-handed circular polarization component and a right-handed circular polarization component through 1/4 slides respectively, namely converting the photons transmitted in a spatial channel into a circular polarization state; at the Bob end, the polarization state is changed into a vertical polarization component and a horizontal polarization component again through 1/4 glass slides, namely, the circular polarization state is restored into a linear polarization state, and then phase modulation is carried out on the restored horizontal polarization component, so that the polarization control which is required to be carried out after the space alignment of the space quantum key distribution system is completed is reduced, the quantum key distribution time in the chain building time is increased, and the working efficiency of the space quantum key distribution system is improved.
Detailed Description
In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more apparent, the present invention is described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. In addition, the technical features involved in the embodiments of the present invention described below may be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.
As shown in fig. 1, a quantum key distribution system based on circular polarization according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first polarizing beam splitter (PBS1) that splits the single photon signal into orthogonal equal vertically and horizontally polarized components; the first end phase modulator is used for carrying out phase modulation on the vertical polarization component to obtain a vertical polarization component modulation signal; a first polarization beam combiner (PBS2) for combining the vertically polarized component modulated signal and the horizontally polarized component; a first quarter glass for converting the vertical polarization component modulation signal and the horizontal polarization component into a left-handed circular polarization component and a right-handed circular polarization component; a second quarter glass for restoring the left-handed circular polarization component and the right-handed circular polarization component into a vertical polarization component modulation signal and a horizontal polarization component; a second polarizing beam splitter (PBS3) for separating the recovered vertical polarization component modulated signal from the horizontal polarization component; a second end phase modulator for phase modulating the recovered horizontal polarization component; and a second polarization beam combiner (PBS4) for combining the recovered horizontal polarization component modulation signal and the vertical polarization component adjustment signal.
Further, the quantum key distribution system based on circular polarization further comprises a single photon source for generating a linear polarization single photon signal to be output to the first polarization beam splitter (PBS 1).
Further, the circular polarization based quantum key distribution system further comprises a third polarization beam splitter (PBS5) for selecting a signal output by the second polarization beam combiner (PBS4), an optical axis of the third polarization beam splitter (PBS5) being rotated by 45 ° compared to an optical axis of the second polarization beam combiner (PBS 4).
Further, the quantum key distribution system based on circular polarization also comprises: and the two single-photon detectors are respectively positioned at two output ends of the third polarization beam splitter (PBS 5).
The single photon source, the first polarization beam splitter (PBS1), the first end phase modulator, the first polarization beam combiner (PBS2) and the first 1/4 glass sheet form an Alice end, and the second 1/4 glass sheet, the second polarization beam splitter (PBS3), the second end phase modulator, the second polarization beam combiner (PBS4), the third polarization beam splitter (PBS5) and the two single photon detectors form a Bob end.
The Alice sending terminal adopts phase coding. The single photon is subjected to second-order phase modulation by a random number source through a phase modulator, and the quantum state of the emitted single photon can contain four random phase information of 0, pi/2, pi, 3 pi/2, which respectively correspond to two groups of bases of {0, pi }, { pi/2, 3 pi/2 }. The linear polaron information transmitted in the spatial channel is converted into the circular polaron information through the 1/4 glass slide, and the linear polaron information is recovered through the 1/4 glass slide at the receiving end, so that the polarization control required after the receiving end is spatially aligned is reduced. The Bob receiving end converts Alice phase coding information into polarization information by modulating and selecting the basis for the orthogonal polarization component phase, and the quantum key distribution process can be completed by adopting a BB84 protocol.
The specific implementation flow is as follows:
1. splitting the single photon into two orthogonal equal polarization components, a vertically polarized component and a horizontally polarized component, at the Alice end via PBS 1;
2. the first phase modulator utilizes a random number source 1 to perform second-order phase modulation on the vertical polarization component to form two groups of bases {0, pi }, { pi/2, 3 pi/2 }, and does not modulate the parallel polarization component;
combining the vertical polarization component and the unmodulated horizontal polarization component which are modulated by the Alices into a single photon through PBS2, and transmitting the single photon to a space channel through 1/4 glass slides, so that the modulated vertical polarization component and the unmodulated horizontal polarization component of the single photon are respectively converted into a left-handed circular polarization component and a right-handed circular polarization component;
4. through a spatial channel, the left-handed circular polarization component and the right-handed circular polarization component are changed into a modulated vertical polarization component and an unmodulated horizontal polarization component again through 1/4 glass slides at the Bob end;
5. the single photon processed by the 1/4 glass slide is split by PBS3, and the vertical polarization component after modulation and the unmodulated horizontal polarization component are separated independently;
6. the second phase modulator performs {0, pi/2 } phase modulation on the unmodulated horizontal polarization component by using the random number source 2, and does not modulate the vertical polarization component;
7. the two paths are subjected to polarization beam combination through PBS4, and when the selected bases are consistent, the combined beam is output as a linear polarization single photon, and when the selected bases are different, the combined beam is output as a circular polarization single photon;
8. the optical axis of the polarizing beam splitter PBS5 is rotated by 45 degrees compared with the optical axis of the PBS4, and single photons output by the PBS4 are selected;
9. the two single-photon detectors are positioned at two output ends of the PBS5, detect selected photon signals, and when the single-photon detectors enter the PBS5 and are linear polarization single-photons, the response of the single-photon detectors is fixed, and when the single-photon detectors enter the PBS5 and are circular polarization single-photons, the response of the single-photon detectors is random.
10. According to the BB84 protocol, classical interaction is carried out, and the quantum key distribution process is completed.
As shown in fig. 2, the Alice-end modulation signal is a vertical component of {0, pi } and the Bob-end modulation signal is a horizontal component of {0, pi/2 }, the polarization state information corresponding to the polarization combination is output after the polarization combination, when the selected bases are consistent, the single photon detector outputs a linear polarization single photon after the polarization combination, the response of the single photon detector is fixed, and when the selected bases are different, the single photon detector outputs a circular polarization single photon after the polarization combination, the single photon detector responds randomly, and the detector response mechanism conforms to the BB84 protocol.
As shown in fig. 3, the Alice-end modulation signal is a vertical component of { pi/2, 3 pi/2 } and the Bob-end modulation signal is a horizontal component of {0, pi/2 }, corresponding polarization state information after polarization combination is performed, when the selected bases are consistent, a linear polarization single photon is output after combination, the response of the single photon detector is fixed, and when the selected bases are different, a circular polarization single photon is output after combination, the response of the single photon detector is random, and the detector response mechanism conforms to the BB84 protocol.
According to the space quantum key distribution system based on the circularly polarized light, photons transmitted in a space channel are converted into a circular polarization state through the 1/4 glass slide, and the circular polarization state is recovered to be in a linear polarization state through the 1/4 glass slide at the receiving end, so that the polarization control process of the space quantum key distribution system after space alignment is completed is reduced, the quantum key distribution time in the link establishment time is prolonged, and the working efficiency of the space quantum key distribution system is improved.
The quantum key distribution encoder based on circular polarization comprises:
a first polarizing beam splitter (PBS1) that splits the single photon signal into orthogonal equal vertically and horizontally polarized components; the first end phase modulator is used for carrying out phase modulation on the vertical polarization component to obtain a vertical polarization component modulation signal; a first polarization beam combiner (PBS2) for combining the vertically polarized component modulated signal and the horizontally polarized component; a first quarter-slide for converting the vertical polarization component modulation signal and the horizontal polarization component into a left-handed circular polarization component and a right-handed circular polarization component.
The implementation principle and technical effect of the encoder are similar to those of the above system, and are not described herein again.
The quantum key distribution decoder based on circular polarization comprises:
a second quarter-slide for restoring the received left-hand and right-hand circularly polarized components into a vertical polarized component modulation signal and a horizontal polarized component; a second polarizing beam splitter (PBS3) for separating the recovered vertical polarization component modulated signal from the horizontal polarization component; a second end phase modulator for phase modulating the recovered horizontal polarization component; and a second polarization beam combiner (PBS4) for combining the recovered horizontal polarization component modulation signal and the vertical polarization component modulation signal.
The implementation principle and technical effect of the decoder are similar to those of the above system, and are not described herein again.
The quantum key distribution method based on circular polarization comprises the following steps:
splitting the single photon signal into orthogonal equal vertically and horizontally polarized components;
carrying out phase modulation on the vertical polarization component to obtain a vertical polarization component modulation signal;
combining the vertical polarization component modulation signal and the horizontal polarization component;
converting the vertical polarization component modulation signal and the horizontal polarization component into a left-handed circular polarization component and a right-handed circular polarization component;
restoring the left-handed circular polarization component and the right-handed circular polarization component into a vertical polarization component and a horizontal polarization component;
separating the recovered vertical and horizontal polarization components;
phase modulating the recovered horizontal polarization component;
and combining the recovered horizontal polarization component and vertical polarization component modulation signals.
The implementation principle and technical effect of the method are similar to those of the system, and are not described herein again.
It must be noted that in any of the above embodiments, the methods are not necessarily executed in order of sequence number, and as long as it cannot be assumed from the execution logic that they are necessarily executed in a certain order, it means that they can be executed in any other possible order.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the invention, and that any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the scope of the present invention.