Towards quantum key distribution with noisy communication sources

Abstract

A beam emitted by a displaced thermal source, incident on a beam splitter, is used as the source in a central broadcast quantum key distribution protocol. These displaced thermal states have parallels to signals produced through phase-shift keying, already commonly used in a variety of microwave-based communications equipment. Here, we analyse a thermal state quantum key distribution protocol for which there is no dependency on displacement. Our analysis suggests the ability to carry out QKD using widely available broadcasting equipment. We also consider the effects of the introduction of loss at several points in the protocol, and find that, while increasing loss in Alice's channel eventually results in advantage distillation being required, security is still maintained.