High-Rate Free-Running Reference-Frame-Independent Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution with Classified Distillation

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2601.04949v1
• Date: Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:54:24 GMT
• Title: High-Rate Free-Running Reference-Frame-Independent Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution with Classified Distillation
• Authors: Xin Liu, Zhicheng Luo, Kaibiao Qin, Jiawang Liu, Zhenrong Zhang, Kejin Wei,
• Abstract summary: We propose a free-running RFI-MDI-QKD protocol that maintains high-rate key generation under rapid reference-frame variations.<n>Our protocol achieves a key rate more than nine times higher than the best previous RFI-MDI-QKD scheme.
• Score: 11.857996452128972
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Abstract: Reference-frame-independent measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (RFI-MDI-QKD) eliminates detector side-channel attacks and avoids reference-frame calibration. While its feasibility has been widely demonstrated, existing implementations typically assume fixed or slowly drifting reference-frame misalignment, conditions rarely satisfied outside the laboratory. In realistic environments, rapid and free-running reference-frame variations can severely degrade both the key rate and transmission distance of conventional RFI-MDI-QKD. Here we propose a free-running RFI-MDI-QKD protocol that maintains high-rate key generation under rapid reference-frame variations. By introducing a classification-distillation method that reclassifies total detection events, secure keys can be extracted without modifying the experimental setup. Our protocol achieves a key rate more than nine times higher than the best previous RFI-MDI-QKD scheme and tolerates channel losses exceeding 24 dB, where earlier approaches fail. These results enable practical quantum key distribution on mobile platforms, including satellite-to-ground links and airborne nodes.

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