2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Satellite-based Free-Space Optical Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Systems for Secured Wireless Networks
| Project/Area Number |
21K11870
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| Research Institution | The University of Aizu |
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Principal Investigator |
Anh・T Pham 会津大学, コンピュータ理工学部, 教授 (80404896)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Quantum Key Distribution / Satellite / BBM92 Protocol / Free-Space Optics (FSO) |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
This research project tackles the design and development issues of satellite-based free-space optical quantum key distribution (FSO-QKD), supporting secure wireless communications for mobile base stations, ground vehicles, UAVs, and remote areas in the paradigm of 5G and beyond wireless networks. We aim to propose novel QKD systems for wireless networks based on the optical-wireless technology of FSO and high-altitude platforms. We primarily focus on tackling both system and protocol design challenging issues to extend the transmission distance limit and the secret key rate.
In AY2021, we worked on a new design concept for satellite CV-QKD using non-coherent detection for the entanglement-based BBM92 protocol. We model and analyze the performance of the proposed method in the context that a satellite distributes secret keys to two legitimate users. The analytical results are derived by considering the channel loss, atmospheric turbulence-induced fading, and receiver noises. The Gaussian beam model is considered to evaluate the impact of geometrical spreading on the signal received by legitimate users and the possibility of being eavesdropped on. Based on the results, we can find suitable parameters for the transmitter and the receivers to properly achieve the QKD function for distributing secret keys between two legitimate parties. In addition, we also work on several issues related to the design and applications of satellite-based FSO systems, including hybrid FSO/RF systems, error control, and improvement using advanced hybrid ARQ techniques.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
The project progressed slightly more delayed than the initial plan due to the COVID pandemic. We successfully recruit two research assistants (MS/Ph.D. students) from overseas to work on the project. However, due to the border blockage situation, only one student managed to arrive and start working in AY2021. Therefore, while WP1 progress is as planned, we have to delay the start of WP3 of the project to AY2022. On the other hand, we had good progress in WP4 thanks to the fact that the Research Collaborator #2 could stay for another two years after his doctoral program.
Overall, the project has progressed a bit more delayed than the original plan in terms of WP implementation. However, thanks to the good progress of WP4, we still meet our target in terms of research result dissemination (WP5). In particular, in AY2021, our research results were published four journal articles and three conference papers.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In overall, the project has three main goals: First, it is the proposal of high performance and reliable satellite-based FSO-QKD networks, which are expected to provide high secret key rate and long transmission distance in various deployment scenarios, especially moving stations, including airplanes, UAVs, train, and self-driving cars. Second, we aim to prove the feasibility of the proposed FSO-QKD systems by analyzing the security under the effects of various physical layer impairments. Third, this project also targets the proposal of security performance improvement methods and novel protocol designs for FSO-QKD systems. More specifically, the proposed methods and protocols would help reduce the quantum bit error rate (QBER) and increase the secret-key rate.
In AY2022, we continue the WP2, which focuses on the system model and design for FSO-QKD and WP4 - investigation on various improvement techniques that lead to the achievement of the proposed system. We will start working on WP3 - QKD protocol designs and analytical and simulation framework of protocols; we primarily focus on the design concept of large-scale satellite-based QKD networks.
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Research Products
(7 results)
