Continuous-mode quantum key distribution with digital signal processing

Abstract: Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) offers the specific advantage of sharing keys remotely by the use of standard telecom components, thereby promoting cost-effective and high-performance metropolitan applications. Nevertheless, the introduction of high-rate spectrum broadening has pushed CVQKD from a single-mode to a continuous-mode region, resulting in the adoption of modern digital signal processing (DSP) technologies to recover quadrature information from continuous-mode quantum states. However, the security proof of DSP involving multi-point processing is a missing step. Here, we propose a generalized method of analyzing continuous-mode state processing by linear DSP via temporal-modes theory. The construction of temporal modes is key in reducing the security proof to single-mode scenarios. The proposed practicality oriented security analysis method paves the way for building classical compatible digital CVQKD.