Feasibility of underwater free space quantum key distribution

We investigate the optical absorption and scattering prope rties of underwater media pertinent to our underwater quantum key distribution (QKD) channel model. With the vector radiative transfer the ory and Monte Carlo method, we calculate the bit rate, the fidelity, and the quantum bit error rate of photons when transmitting underwater. It can be obse rved from our simulations that maximally secure single photon underwate r BB84 QKD is feasible with a distance of about 125 m in the clearest ocean water. OCIS codes: (270.5568) Quantum cryptography; (010.4450) Oceanic opti cs. References and links 1. M. Tivey, P. Fucile, and E. Sichel, “A low power, low cost, u nderwater optical communication system,” Ridge 2000 Events2, 27–29 (2004). 2. I. Vasilescu, K. Kotay, D. Rus, M. Dunbabin, and P. Corke, “ Data collection, storage, and retrieval with an underwater sensor network,” in Proceedings of the 3rd international conference on Embedded networked sensor systems, M. Welsh, ed. (Academic, San Diego, Calif., 2005), pp. 154–1 65. 3. F. Hanson and S. Radic, “High bandwidth underwater optica l communication,” Appl. Opt.47, 277–283 (2008). 4. N. Farr, A. Bowen, J. Ware, C. Pontbriand, and M. Tivey, “An integrated, underwater optical/acoustic communications system,” inProceedings of MTS/IEEE OCEANS 2010 (Academic, Sydney, 2010), pp.1–6. 5. J. J. Puschell, R. J. Giannaris, and L. Stotts, “The Autono mous Data Optical Relay Experiment: First Two Way Laser Communication Between an Aircraft and Submarine,” in Proceedings of the IEEE Telesystems Conference (Academic, San Diego, Calif., 1992), pp.27–30. 6. M. Lanzagorta, Underwater Communications (Synthesis Lectures on Communications, Morgan & Claypool P ublishers, 2012). 7. M. A. Nielsen and I. L. Chuang, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information (Academic, Cambridge, 2000). 8. N. Gisin, G. Ribordy, W. Tittel, and H. Zbinden, “Quantum c ryptography,” Rev. Mod. Phys. 74, 145–195 (2002). 9. S. M. Tobias, W. Henning, F. Martin, U. Rupert, T. Felix, S. Thomas, P. Josep, S. Zoran, K. Christian, R. John G. , Z. Anton, and W. Harald, “Experimental demonstration of free-space decoy-state quantum key distribution over 144 km,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 010504 (2007). 10. R. C. Smith and K. S. Baker, “Optical properties of the cle arest natural waters (200-800 nm),” Appl. Opt. 20, 177–184 (1981). 11. L. Mullen, “Optical propagation in the underwater envir onment,” Proc. of SPIE7324, 732409 (2009). 12. S. Jaruwatanadilok, “Underwater wireless optical comm unication channel modeling and performance evaluation using vector vadiative transfer theory,” IEEE J. on Selecte d Areas in Commun. 26, 1620–1627 (2008). 13. V. Scarani, H. Bechmann-Pasquinucci, N. J. Cerf, M. Duš ek, N. Lütkenhaus, and M. Peev, “The security of practical quantum key distribution,” Rev. Mod. Phys. 81, 1301–1350 (2009). 14. C. H. Bennett and G. Brassard, “Quantum cryptography: pu blic key distribution and coin tossing,” in Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Computers, Systems and Signal Processing (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Bangalore, India, 1984), pp. 175-1 9. 15. A. K. Ekert, “Quantum cryptography based on Bell’s theor em,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 661–663 (1991). 16. S. J. Wiesner, “Conjugate Coding,” SIGACT News 15, 78–88 (1983). 17. J. E. Tyler and R. W. Preisendorfer, in The Sea, Vol. 2, M. N. Hill, Ed. (Interscience, New York, 1962). 18. R. W. Preisendorfer, Hydrologic Optics (U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, ERL, 1976). 19. J. C. Ramella-Roman, S. A. Prahl, and S. L. Jacques, “Thre e Monte Carlo programs of polarized light transport into scattering media: part I,” Opt. Express 13, 4420–4438 (2005). 20. A. Ishimaru,Wave Propagation and Scattering in Random Media (Academic, New York, 1978). 21. H. Bader, “The hyperbolic distribution of particles siz es,” J. Geophys. Res. 75, 2822–2830 (1970). 22. C. Bonato, A. Tomaello, V. Da. Deppo, G. Naletto, and P. Vi lloresi, “Feasibility of satellite quantum key distribution,” New J. Phys. 11, 045017 (2009). 23. E. L. Miao, Z. F. Han, S. S. Gong, T. Zhang, D. S. Diao, and G. C. Guo, “Background noise of satellite-to-ground quantum key distribution,” New J. Phys. 7, 215 (2005).