Optimization of Information Reconciliation for Decoy-State Quantum Key Distribution over a Satellite Downlink Channel

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.05196v1
• Date: Fri, 07 Nov 2025 12:32:01 GMT
• Title: Optimization of Information Reconciliation for Decoy-State Quantum Key Distribution over a Satellite Downlink Channel
• Authors: Thomas Scarinzi, Davide Orsucci, Marco Ferrari, Luca Barletta,
• Abstract summary: We build an accurate model of the downlink signal and quantum bit error rate (QBER) during a complete satellite pass.<n>We improve the efficiency of information reconciliation (IR) in the Decoy-State BB84 protocol, resulting in a secure key that is almost 3% longer for realistic scenarios.
• Score: 3.7015295923035705
• License: http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/
• Abstract: Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a cryptographic solution that leverages the properties of quantum mechanics to be resistant and secure even against an attacker with unlimited computational power. Satellite-based links are important in QKD because they can reach distances that the best fiber systems cannot. However, links between satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and ground stations have a duration of only a few minutes, resulting in the generation of a small amount of secure keys. In this context, we investigate the optimization of the information reconciliation step of the QKD post-processing in order to generate as much secure key as possible. As a first step, we build an accurate model of the downlink signal and quantum bit error rate (QBER) during a complete satellite pass, which are time-varying due to three effects: (i) the varying link geometry over time, (ii) the scintillation effect, and (iii) the different signal intensities adopted in the Decoy-State protocol. Leveraging the a-priori information on the instantaneous QBER, we improve the efficiency of information reconciliation (IR) (i.e., the error correction phase) in the Decoy-State BB84 protocol, resulting in a secure key that is almost 3\% longer for realistic scenarios.

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