|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Lydersen, Lars; Wiechers, Carlos; Wittmann, Christoffer; Elser, Dominique; Skaar, Johannes; Makarov, Vadim
Title Thermal blinding of gated detectors in quantum cryptography Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Optics Express Abbreviated Journal Opt. Express
Volume (down) 18 Issue 26 Pages 27938-27954
Keywords quantum cryptography; QKD; hacking; SPD; APD
Abstract It has previously been shown that the gated detectors of two commercially available quantum key distribution (QKD) systems are blindable and controllable by an eavesdropper using continuous-wave illumination and short bright trigger pulses, manipulating voltages in the circuit [L. Lydersen et al., Nat. Photonics DOI:10.1038/nphoton.2010.214]. This allows for an attack eavesdropping the full raw and secret key without increasing the quantum bit error rate (QBER). Here we show how thermal effects in detectors under bright illumination can lead to the same outcome. We demonstrate that the detectors in a commercial QKD system Clavis2 can be blinded by heating the avalanche photo diodes (APDs) using bright illumination, so-called thermal blinding. Further, the detectors can be triggered using short bright pulses once they are blind. For systems with pauses between packet transmission such as the plug-and-play systems, thermal inertia enables Eve to apply the bright blinding illumination before eavesdropping, making her more difficult to catch.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number RPLAB @ gujma @ Serial 729
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gol'tsman, G.; Minaeva, O.; Korneev, A.; Tarkhov, M.; Rubtsova, I.; Divochiy, A.; Milostnaya, I.; Chulkova, G.; Kaurova, N.; Voronov, B.; Pan, D.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Cross, A.; Pearlman, A.; Komissarov, I.; Slysz, W.; Wegrzecki, M.; Grabiec, P.; Sobolewski, R.
Title Middle-infrared to visible-light ultrafast superconducting single-photon detectors Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (down) 17 Issue 2 Pages 246-251
Keywords SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We present an overview of the state-of-the-art of NbN superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs). Our devices exhibit quantum efficiency (QE) of up to 30% in near-infrared wavelength and 0.4% at 5 mum, with a dark-count rate that can be as low as 10 -4 s -1 . The SSPD structures integrated with lambda/4 microcavities achieve a QE of 60% at telecommunication, 1550-nm wavelength. We have also developed a new generation of SSPDs that possess the QE of large-active-area devices, but, simultaneously, are characterized by low kinetic inductance that allows achieving short response times and the GHz-counting rate with picosecond timing jitter. The improvements presented in the SSPD development, such as fiber-coupled SSPDs, make our detectors most attractive for high-speed quantum communications and quantum computing.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1051-8223 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 431
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Stucki, Damien; Barreiro, Claudio; Fasel, Sylvain; Gautier, Jean-Daniel; Gay, Olivier; Gisin, Nicolas; Thew, Rob; Thoma, Yann; Trinkler, Patrick; Vannel, Fabien; Zbinden, Hugo
Title Continuous high speed coherent one-way quantum key distribution Type Journal Article
Year 2009 Publication Optics Express Abbreviated Journal Opt. Express
Volume (down) 17 Issue 16 Pages 13326-13334
Keywords quantum cryptography, QKD, PNS, SSPD, coherent one way, COW
Abstract Quantum key distribution (QKD) is the first commercial quantum technology operating at the level of single quanta and is a leading light for quantum-enabled photonic technologies. However, controlling these quantum optical systems in real world environments presents significant challenges. For the first time, we have brought together three key concepts for future QKD systems: a simple high-speed protocol; high performance detection; and integration both, at the component level and for standard fibre network connectivity. The QKD system is capable of continuous and autonomous operation, generating secret keys in real time. Laboratory and field tests were performed and comparisons made with robust InGaAs avalanche photodiodes and superconducting detectors. We report the first real world implementation of a fully functional QKD system over a 43dB-loss (150km) transmission line in the Swisscom fibre optic network where we obtained average real-time distribution rates over 3 hours of 2.5bps.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number RPLAB @ akorneev @ Serial 602
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Yang, J. K. W.; Kerman, A. J.; Dauler, E. A.; Anant, V.; Rosfjord, K. M.; Berggren, K. K.
Title Modeling the electrical and thermal response of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal
Volume (down) 17 Issue 2 Pages 581 - 585
Keywords SSPD, modeling
Abstract We modeled the response of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors during a photodetection event, taking into consideration only the thermal and electrical properties of a superconducting NbN nanowire on a sapphire substrate. Our calculations suggest that heating which occurs after the formation of a photo-induced resistive barrier is responsible for the generation of a measurable voltage pulse. We compared this numerical result with experimental data of a voltage pulse from a slow device, i.e. large kinetic inductance, and obtained a good fit. Using this electro-thermal model, we estimated the temperature rise and the resistance buildup in the nanowire, and the return current at which the nanowire becomes superconducting again. We also show that the reset time of these photodetectors can be decreased by the addition of a series resistance and provide supporting experimental data. Finally we present preliminary results on a detector latching behavior that can also be explained using the electro-thermal model.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 625
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bell, M.; Kaurova, N.; Divochiy, A.; Gol'tsman, G.; Bird, J.; Sergeev, A.; Verevkin, A.
Title On the nature of resistive transition in disordered superconducting nanowires Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (down) 17 Issue 2 Pages 267-270
Keywords SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract Hot-electron single-photon counters based on long superconducting nanowires are starting to become popular in optical and infrared technologies due to their ultimately high sensitivity and very high response speed. We investigate intrinsic fluctuations in long NbN nanowires in the temperature range of 4.2 K-20 K, i.e. above and below the superconducting transition. These fluctuations are responsible for fluctuation resistivity and also determine the noise in practical devices. Measurements of the fluctuation resistivity were performed at low current densities and also in external magnetic fields up to 5 T. Above the BCS critical temperature T co the resistivity is well described by the Aslamazov-Larkin (AL) theory for two-dimensional samples. Below T co the measured resistivity is in excellent agreement with the Langer-Ambegaokar-McCumber-Halperin (LAMH) theory developed for one-dimensional superconductors. Despite that our nanowires of 100 nm width are two-dimensional with respect to the coherence length, our analysis shows that at relatively low current densities the one-dimensional LAMH mechanism based on thermally induced phase slip centers dominates over the two-dimensional mechanism related to unbinding of vortex-antivortex pairs below the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1051-8223 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1247
Permanent link to this record