Publication result detail

Quantum Key Distribution over Multimode Fiber Infrastructure

Ondrej Klicnik; Nikolaos Makris; Argiris Ntanos; Aris Stathis; Grigoris Anastasiou; Konstantinos Tsimvrakidis; Giannis Giannoulis; Hercules Avramopoulos; Petr Munster; George Kanellos; Tomas Horvath

Original Title

Quantum Key Distribution over Multimode Fiber Infrastructure

English Title

Quantum Key Distribution over Multimode Fiber Infrastructure

Type

Paper in proceedings (conference paper)

Original Abstract

This paper evaluates the feasibility of off-the-shelf quantum key distribution (QKD) systems over multimode fiber (MMF) links. QKD systems with two types of encoding, polarization-based and phase/time-bin-based, are tested using OM1, OM3, and OM4 fibers, with single mode fiber (SMF) as a reference. The connection between single mode QKD components and MMF forms an interferometric single mode-multi mode-single mode (SMS) structure that exhibits intensity fluctuations. These, together with modal dispersion enabled by mode coupling, lead to decoherence in phase-encoded systems and significant depolarization in polarization-encoded systems. To minimize mode excitation, the fibers are operated in an underfilled launch regime, enabling near-single mode transmission over short spans.

English abstract

This paper evaluates the feasibility of off-the-shelf quantum key distribution (QKD) systems over multimode fiber (MMF) links. QKD systems with two types of encoding, polarization-based and phase/time-bin-based, are tested using OM1, OM3, and OM4 fibers, with single mode fiber (SMF) as a reference. The connection between single mode QKD components and MMF forms an interferometric single mode-multi mode-single mode (SMS) structure that exhibits intensity fluctuations. These, together with modal dispersion enabled by mode coupling, lead to decoherence in phase-encoded systems and significant depolarization in polarization-encoded systems. To minimize mode excitation, the fibers are operated in an underfilled launch regime, enabling near-single mode transmission over short spans.

Keywords

quantum key distribution; multimode fiber; singlemode fiber; depolarization; decoherence; intensity fluctuations

Key words in English

quantum key distribution; multimode fiber; singlemode fiber; depolarization; decoherence; intensity fluctuations

Authors

Ondrej Klicnik; Nikolaos Makris; Argiris Ntanos; Aris Stathis; Grigoris Anastasiou; Konstantinos Tsimvrakidis; Giannis Giannoulis; Hercules Avramopoulos; Petr Munster; George Kanellos; Tomas Horvath

Released

08.04.2026

Publisher

IEEE

Location

Kobe, Japan

ISBN

979-8-3315-6110-9

Book

Proceedings 2026 International Conference on Quantum Communications Networking and Computing Qcnc 2026

Pages from

1

Pages to

5

Pages count

5

URL

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11500269

BibTex

@inproceedings{BUT201188,
  author="Ondřej {Klíčník} and  {} and  {} and  {} and  {} and  {} and  {} and  {} and Petr {Münster} and  {} and Tomáš {Horváth}",
  title="Quantum Key Distribution over Multimode Fiber Infrastructure",
  booktitle="Proceedings 2026 International Conference on Quantum Communications Networking and Computing Qcnc 2026",
  year="2026",
  pages="5",
  publisher="IEEE",
  address="Kobe, Japan",
  doi="10.1109/QCNC69040.2026.00062",
  isbn="979-8-3315-6110-9",
  url="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11500269"
}