Experimental Demonstration of Quantum Key Distribution Over Deployed Aerial and Underground Multicore Fiber Links

IF 1.9 3区工程技术 Q3 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-06-09 DOI:10.1109/JQE.2026.3701984

R. Priyadharshini;Sameer Ahmad Mir;Aswani Ashok;Deepika Rajan;S. Kirubakaran;Hari Krishna Atluri;A. Paventhan;Deepa Venkitesh

{"title":"Experimental Demonstration of Quantum Key Distribution Over Deployed Aerial and Underground Multicore Fiber Links","authors":"R. Priyadharshini;Sameer Ahmad Mir;Aswani Ashok;Deepika Rajan;S. Kirubakaran;Hari Krishna Atluri;A. Paventhan;Deepa Venkitesh","doi":"10.1109/JQE.2026.3701984","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Multicore-fibres (MCF) have emerged as an attractive solution for capacity scaling in optical communication. Securing such links with Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is critical with the advent of Quantum computers. For practical deployment, QKD is required to operate alongside high-speed classical communication over field-deployed fiber infrastructure. In this work, the performance of QKD is experimentally evaluated in coexistence with high-speed classical data transmission over field-deployed underground and aerial multicore fiber links. The QKD system is implemented with Coherent One-Way Slim protocol, with dedicated Quantum and classical channels for Quantum communication and QKD post-processing. The deployed 4-core MCF infrastructure at IIT Madras provides an effective transmission length of 48 km through loopback operation. QKD performance over the MCF is evaluated in terms of quantum bit error rate (QBER) under varying attenuation, controlled noise injection, and inter-core crosstalk over both singlecore fiber and MCF links. The experimental results show that inter-core crosstalk has a stronger impact in MCF, leading to increased excess noise at the quantum receiver. For a 32-GBaud PM 16-QAM classical modulation format, stable QKD operation is maintained when the spectral separation is approximately six to eight times the occupied bandwidth.","PeriodicalId":13200,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics","volume":"62 5","pages":"8700408-8700408"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11556242/","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/6/9 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Multicore-fibres (MCF) have emerged as an attractive solution for capacity scaling in optical communication. Securing such links with Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is critical with the advent of Quantum computers. For practical deployment, QKD is required to operate alongside high-speed classical communication over field-deployed fiber infrastructure. In this work, the performance of QKD is experimentally evaluated in coexistence with high-speed classical data transmission over field-deployed underground and aerial multicore fiber links. The QKD system is implemented with Coherent One-Way Slim protocol, with dedicated Quantum and classical channels for Quantum communication and QKD post-processing. The deployed 4-core MCF infrastructure at IIT Madras provides an effective transmission length of 48 km through loopback operation. QKD performance over the MCF is evaluated in terms of quantum bit error rate (QBER) under varying attenuation, controlled noise injection, and inter-core crosstalk over both singlecore fiber and MCF links. The experimental results show that inter-core crosstalk has a stronger impact in MCF, leading to increased excess noise at the quantum receiver. For a 32-GBaud PM 16-QAM classical modulation format, stable QKD operation is maintained when the spectral separation is approximately six to eight times the occupied bandwidth.

查看原文本刊更多论文

已部署的空中和地下多芯光纤链路上量子密钥分配的实验演示

多芯光纤（MCF）已成为光通信容量扩展的一种有吸引力的解决方案。随着量子计算机的出现，用量子密钥分发（QKD）保护这些链接至关重要。对于实际部署，QKD需要与现场部署的光纤基础设施上的高速经典通信一起运行。在这项工作中，通过实验评估了QKD与现场部署的地下和空中多芯光纤链路上的高速经典数据传输共存的性能。QKD系统采用相干单向细长协议实现，具有专用量子信道和经典信道，用于量子通信和QKD后处理。印度理工学院马德拉斯分校部署的4核MCF基础设施通过环回操作提供了48公里的有效传输长度。MCF上的QKD性能是根据不同衰减、受控噪声注入和单芯光纤和MCF链路上的芯间串扰下的量子误码率（QBER）来评估的。实验结果表明，核间串扰在MCF中有较强的影响，导致量子接收器处的多余噪声增加。对于32gbaud PM 16-QAM经典调制格式，当频谱间隔约为占用带宽的6至8倍时，可以保持稳定的QKD操作。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics 工程技术-工程：电子与电气

CiteScore

4.70

自引率

4.00%

发文量

审稿时长

3.0 months

期刊介绍： The IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics is dedicated to the publication of manuscripts reporting novel experimental or theoretical results in the broad field of the science and technology of quantum electronics. The Journal comprises original contributions, both regular papers and letters, describing significant advances in the understanding of quantum electronics phenomena or the demonstration of new devices, systems, or applications. Manuscripts reporting new developments in systems and applications must emphasize quantum electronics principles or devices. The scope of JQE encompasses the generation, propagation, detection, and application of coherent electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths below one millimeter (i.e., in the submillimeter, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, etc., regions). Whether the focus of a manuscript is a quantum-electronic device or phenomenon, the critical factor in the editorial review of a manuscript is the potential impact of the results presented on continuing research in the field or on advancing the technological base of quantum electronics.