Abstract

The feasibility of transmitting discrete-variable quantum key distribution channels with carrier-grade classical optical channels over multicore fibers is experimentally explored in terms of achievable quantum bit error rates, secret key rates as well as classical signal bit error rates. A coexistence transmission record of 11.2 Tb/s is achieved for the classical channels simultaneously with a DV-QKD channel over a 1 km-long 7-core multicore fiber. Coexistence over the same multicore fiber core is identified as a dominant factor for the performance of the quantum channel requiring optical bandpass filtering of 17 nm for the quantum channel to avoid the effect of Raman noise. Also, counter-propagation of classical channels and quantum channels probe more tolerance to noise proliferation than co-propagation. In addition, the performance of the quantum channel is maintained when more than three cores are used for the classical channels. Furthermore, by adding a second DV-QKD channel in the multicore fiber, the simultaneous transmission of classical channels as well as the generation of quantum-secured keys of two QKD channels is achieved with an operational range of 10 dB of launched power into the MCF.

Integration in the C-band between quantum key distribution and the classical channel of 25 dBm launch power over multicore fiber media

Jia-Qi Geng, Guan-Jie Fan-Yuan, Kang-Jie Li, Ming Tang, Shuang Wang, De-Yong He, Wei Chen, Zhen-Qiang Yin, Guang-Can Guo, and Zheng-Fu Han
Opt. Lett. 47(12) 3111-3114 (2022)

Quantum key distribution over multicore fiber

J. F. Dynes, S. J. Kindness, S. W.-B. Tam, A. Plews, A. W. Sharpe, M. Lucamarini, B. Fröhlich, Z. L. Yuan, R. V. Penty, and A. J. Shields
Opt. Express 24(8) 8081-8087 (2016)

Experimental wavelength-space division multiplexing of quantum key distribution with classical optical communication over multicore fiber

Chun Cai, Yongmei Sun, Yongrui Zhang, Peng Zhang, Jianing Niu, and Yuefeng Ji
Opt. Express 27(4) 5125-5135 (2019)

Simultaneous transmission of 20x2 WDM/SCM-QKD and 4 bidirectional classical channels over a PON

J. Mora, W. Amaya, A. Ruiz-Alba, A. Martinez, D. Calvo, V. García Muñoz, and J. Capmany
Opt. Express 20(15) 16358-16365 (2012)

Multicore-fiber-based quantum-classical access network architecture with quantum signal wavelength-time division multiplexing

Chun Cai, Yongmei Sun, Jianing Niu, Peng Zhang, Yongrui Zhang, and Yuefeng Ji
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 37(4) 1047-1053 (2020)