High-Rate Free-Running Reference-Frame-Independent Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution with Classified Distillation

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Liu, Xin, Luo, Zhicheng, Qin, Kaibiao, Liu, Jiawang, Zhang, Zhenrong, Wei, Kejin
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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_version_ 1866912810179493888
author Liu, Xin
Luo, Zhicheng
Qin, Kaibiao
Liu, Jiawang
Zhang, Zhenrong
Wei, Kejin
author_facet Liu, Xin
Luo, Zhicheng
Qin, Kaibiao
Liu, Jiawang
Zhang, Zhenrong
Wei, Kejin
contents Reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (RFI-MDI-QKD) eliminates detector side-channel attacks and avoids reference-frame calibration. While its feasibility has been widely demonstrated, existing implementations typically assume fixed or slowly drifting reference-frame misalignment, conditions rarely satisfied outside the laboratory. In realistic environments, rapid and free-running reference-frame variations can severely degrade both the key rate and transmission distance of conventional RFI-MDI-QKD. Here we propose a free-running RFI-MDI-QKD protocol that maintains high-rate key generation under rapid reference-frame variations. By introducing a classification-distillation method that reclassifies total detection events, secure keys can be extracted without modifying the experimental setup. Our protocol achieves a key rate more than nine times higher than the best previous RFI-MDI-QKD scheme and tolerates channel losses exceeding 24 dB, where earlier approaches fail. These results enable practical quantum key distribution on mobile platforms, including satellite-to-ground links and airborne nodes.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_04949
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle High-Rate Free-Running Reference-Frame-Independent Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution with Classified Distillation
Liu, Xin
Luo, Zhicheng
Qin, Kaibiao
Liu, Jiawang
Zhang, Zhenrong
Wei, Kejin
Quantum Physics
Reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (RFI-MDI-QKD) eliminates detector side-channel attacks and avoids reference-frame calibration. While its feasibility has been widely demonstrated, existing implementations typically assume fixed or slowly drifting reference-frame misalignment, conditions rarely satisfied outside the laboratory. In realistic environments, rapid and free-running reference-frame variations can severely degrade both the key rate and transmission distance of conventional RFI-MDI-QKD. Here we propose a free-running RFI-MDI-QKD protocol that maintains high-rate key generation under rapid reference-frame variations. By introducing a classification-distillation method that reclassifies total detection events, secure keys can be extracted without modifying the experimental setup. Our protocol achieves a key rate more than nine times higher than the best previous RFI-MDI-QKD scheme and tolerates channel losses exceeding 24 dB, where earlier approaches fail. These results enable practical quantum key distribution on mobile platforms, including satellite-to-ground links and airborne nodes.
title High-Rate Free-Running Reference-Frame-Independent Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution with Classified Distillation
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.04949