Optimised finite key for satellite up-link entangled quantum key distribution
Abstract
Entanglement-based quantum key distribution from ground to satellite has been proposed as a scalable primitive for global quantum networks and will be demonstrated as part of the imminent QEYSSat mission. Both theoretical studies and experimental emulations have shown that a significant asymptotic key rate can be expected. In this work we investigate this scenario with a more rigorous security analysis taking into account the finite size effects that arise from short block lengths common in satellite transmission. Our findings suggest a slight alteration of the optimal source operation when informed by finite statistics as opposed to the asymptotic regime, notably that the pump power should be slightly lowered. We quantify the annual key rate based on a dynamically optimised source operation for the Heriot-Watt ground station and several satellite parameters. We find an improved annual key rate when accumulating all raw key material before extracting a secure key instead of doing so for each overpass. We ultimately show that QEYSSat will be able to generate a significant secure annual key with both strategies.
Related
- Scalability bottlenecks in entanglement-based satellite quantum key distribution: downlink asymmetry, orbit dependence and finite-key effects
- Unconditional authentication in quantum key distribution via hybrid entangled physical unclonable functions
- Security of quantum key distribution with passive basis choice and detection-efficiency mismatch for a realistic satellite setup
- Revealing Many-Body Phases at finite temperatures through Quantum Coherence Distribution
- The finite key effect of side-channel-secure quantum key distribution beyond post-selection technique
BibTeX
@misc{jaeken2026optimised,
title = {{Optimised finite key for satellite up-link entangled quantum key distribution}},
author = {Thomas Jaeken and Faris Redza and Stefan Bäuml and Daniel K. L. Oi and Alessandro Fedrizzi and Jasminder S. Sidhu},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2611.03788},
eprint = {2611.03788},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.03788},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Optimised finite key for satellite up-link entangled quantum key distribution
AU - Thomas Jaeken
AU - Faris Redza
AU - Stefan Bäuml
AU - Daniel K. L. Oi
AU - Alessandro Fedrizzi
AU - Jasminder S. Sidhu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2611.03788
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.03788
AB - Entanglement-based quantum key distribution from ground to satellite has been proposed as a scalable primitive for global quantum networks and will be demonstrated as part of the imminent QEYSSat mission. Both theoretical studies and experimental emulations have shown that a significant asymptotic key rate can be expected. In this work we investigate this scenario with a more rigorous security analysis taking into account the finite size effects that arise from short block lengths common in satellite transmission. Our findings suggest a slight alteration of the optimal source operation when informed by finite statistics as opposed to the asymptotic regime, notably that the pump power should be slightly lowered. We quantify the annual key rate based on a dynamically optimised source operation for the Heriot-Watt ground station and several satellite parameters. We find an improved annual key rate when accumulating all raw key material before extracting a secure key instead of doing so for each overpass. We ultimately show that QEYSSat will be able to generate a significant secure annual key with both strategies.
ER -