Multi-photon 3-Stage QKD for Practical Quantum Networks

Multi-photon 3-Stage QKD for Practical Quantum Networks | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Multi-photon 3-Stage QKD for Practical Quantum Networks Nitin Jha, Abhishek Parakh, Mahadevan Subramaniam This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3826628/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Quantum key distribution (QKD) will most likely be an integral part of any practical quantum network setup in the future. However, not all QKD protocols can be used in today's networks because of the lack of single photon emitters and noisy intermediate quantum hardware. Attenuated photon transmission typically used to simulate single photon emitters severely limits the achievable transmission distances and the integration of QKD into existing classical networks that use tens of thousands of photons per bit of transmission. Furthermore, it has been found that different protocols perform differently in different network topologies. In order to remove the reliance of QKD on single photon emitters and increase transmission distances, it is worthwhile exploring QKD protocols that do not rely on single-photon transmissions for security, such as the 3-stage QKD protocol; the 3-stage protocol can tolerate multiple photons in each burst without leakage of information. This paper compares and contrasts the 3-stage QKD protocol and its efficiency in different network topologies and conditions. Further, we establish a mathematical relationship between achievable key rates for increasing transmission distances in various topologies. Our results provide insight to a network engineer in designing QKD networks of the future. Quantum networks quantum key distribution multi-photon transmissions 3-stage protocol network topologies Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3826628","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":266176777,"identity":"7df10e99-a679-4e8e-982a-bfbd65bb037f","order_by":0,"name":"Nitin Jha","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kennesaw State University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nitin","middleName":"","lastName":"Jha","suffix":""},{"id":266176778,"identity":"f1900f04-37cd-4a7f-bc58-4ac50c27a959","order_by":1,"name":"Abhishek Parakh","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA4klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNCCAwfkJJC4BkRpMSZdS+IMorXwz25+9uHHmTvpM9t7jz348McusYG9eZsEPi0Sd44Zz+y58Sx3Ns+5dMOZbcmJDTzHyvBqYbiRYMzA8+Fw7jyJHDNp3gbm3AYgA68W+Rvpnxn/fDicLif/xkz6z5/63AYgA68Wgxs5xsw8Nw4nSEvwmEkzsB0G2sKDX4vhnTPFzDJnDhvO7Mkxk+xtO17fxpNWbIFPi9zt9s2Mb44dlpc4fsZM4sefamN+9sMbb+DTwoDhBja8yrFqGQWjYBSMglGADgCX5067EhttKgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Kennesaw State University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Abhishek","middleName":"","lastName":"Parakh","suffix":""},{"id":266176779,"identity":"c38f78d3-9e49-4182-a236-1fe79c1fe179","order_by":2,"name":"Mahadevan Subramaniam","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Nebraska at Omaha","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mahadevan","middleName":"","lastName":"Subramaniam","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2023-12-31 23:29:06","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3826628/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3826628/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":65740598,"identity":"9b8b4ef8-3144-4b58-9ce8-57b2479d786b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-10-02 02:47:44","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":11021707,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"transmissiondistanceburstrelation3.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3826628/v1_covered_e9fb27f4-0408-4af3-93ae-c2c66044a5f7.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Multi-photon 3-Stage QKD for Practical Quantum Networks","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Quantum networks, quantum key distribution, multi-photon transmissions, 3-stage protocol, network topologies","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3826628/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3826628/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eQuantum key distribution (QKD) will most likely be an integral part of any practical quantum network setup in the future. 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