Experimental decoy-state asymmetric measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution over a turbulent high-loss channel

Abstract: Real-world BB84 Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems utilize imperfect devices that introduce vulnerabilities to their security, known as side-channel attacks. Measurement-Device-Independent (MDI) QKD authorizes an untrusted third party to make measurements and removes all side-channel attacks. The typical implementations of MDI-QKD employ near symmetric channels which are difficult to realize physically in many practical scenarios such as when asymmetric channel losses are present, normally a consequence of the communication environment. Maritime and satellite-based communications are two such instances in which the channels are characterized by continuously changing losses in different channels. In this work, we perform asymmetric MDI-QKD in a laboratory environment with simulated turbulence using an Acousto-Optic Modulator (AOM) to interrogate the performance of free-space quantum communication. Under turbulent conditions, scattering and beam wandering cause intensity fluctuations which decrease the detected signal-to-noise ratio. Using the 7-intensity optimization method proposed by Wang et al., coupled with Prefixed-Threshold Real-time Selection (P-RTS), we demonstrate enhancement in the secure key rate under turbulent conditions for finite-size decoy-state MDI QKD. Furthermore, we show that P-RTS can yield considerably higher secure key rates for a wide range of atmospheric channel parameters.