Unified Architecture for Continuous-Variable Quantum Cryptography Communication over a Free-Space Channel

Abstract

Quantum cryptography communication encompasses both quantum key distribution (QKD) and the encryption and decryption of plaintext. Continuous-variable QKD (CVQKD) leverages the fundamental principles of physics to enable legitimate parties to share secure keys, while the CVQKD-compatible quantum noise stream cipher (QNSC) exploits quantum fluctuations to further obscure the ciphertext encrypted with these keys. Integrating these two functionalities into a unified system represents a promising developmental trend. However, existing integrated architectures typically rely on multiplexing two separate optical paths and have been demonstrated exclusively over optical fibers. Here, a unified local local oscillator (LLO) quantum cryptography architecture operating over a free-space channel is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Requiring only simple software-defined switching, our payload-efficient architecture executes both CVQKD and QNSC functionalities utilizing a single optical setup. Over an indoor free-space channel with emulated time-varying atmospheric disturbances, an asymptotic secret key rate of 35.4292 kbps is obtained at a maximum channel attenuation of 19.5054 dB for the CVQKD mode. For the QNSC mode, an encrypted image is successfully transmitted, yielding pixel accuracies of 99.58% and 96.39% under channel attenuations of 10.1690 dB and 12.0620 dB, respectively. This work validates the feasibility of integrated quantum cryptography architectures in complex environments, marking a meaningful step toward constructing payload-constrained quantum communication networks.