Quantum key distribution rates from non-symmetric conic optimization

Abstract: Computing key rates in quantum key distribution (QKD) numerically is essential to unlock more powerful protocols, that use more sophisticated measurement bases or quantum systems of higher dimension. It is a difficult optimization problem, that depends on minimizing a convex non-linear function: the (quantum) relative entropy. Standard conic optimization techniques have for a long time been unable to handle the relative entropy cone, as it is a non-symmetric cone, and the standard algorithms can only handle symmetric ones. Recently, however, a practical algorithm has been discovered for optimizing over non-symmetric cones, including the relative entropy. Here we adapt this algorithm to the problem of computation of key rates, obtaining an efficient technique for lower bounding them. In comparison to previous techniques it has the advantages of flexibility, ease of use, and above all performance.