Quantum Key Distribution using BB84
In this video, you will learn what quantum key distribution (QKD) is and how it works. Listen to Tim Coopmans (QuTech) talking about QKD and its most famous protocol: BB84. Tim will brush on the prerequisite concepts first and then jump to the BB84 protocol to unleash the true power of quantum communication.
Prerequisite knowledge
- Bloch sphere
- Measurements
- One-time-pad
Further thinking
The BB84 protocol was one of the first ideas developed for secure quantum communication. From there, research expanded, trying to find out what could be done using similar schematics. Can you expand this protocol and use the 3 axis of the Bloch Sphere?
In quantum networks, we always talk about distributing entanglement, why don’t we need it here? Could we implement a similar protocol using entanglement?
Further reading
Quantum hacking is also a field on the rise, trying to exploit vulnerabilities of the physical systems such as detection failure, misalignment of polarization, and information loss. Luckily, the protocols also evolve (e.g., E91), which is an improvement of BB84 that uses entanglement (at the expense of a more complicated implementation).