Efficiently implementable codes for quantum key expansion

Abstract

The Shor-Preskill proof of the security of the BB84 quantum key distribution protocol relies on the theoretical existence of good classical error-correcting codes with the ``dual-containing'' property. A practical implementation of BB84 thus requires explicit and efficiently decodable constructions of such codes, which are not known. On the other hand, modern coding theory abounds with non-dual-containing codes with excellent performance and efficient decoding algorithms. We show that the dual-containing constraint can be lifted at a small price: instead of a key distribution protocol, an efficiently implementable key expansion protocol is obtained, capable of increasing the size of a pre-shared key by a constant factor.