Quantum Digital Signatures
Lead Research Organisation:
Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering and Physical Science
Abstract
Harnessing quantum effects for communication and computation shows great potential in applications such as unconditionally secure cryptography and quantum computation. The latter would allow for faster algorithms for important computational tasks such as factorisation and database search, which can be used in everyday applications, such as internet security and rapid medical diagnosis or DNA searching. With very few exceptions, however, experiments are far from implementing theoretical results. A notable exception is quantum key distribution (QKD), for which a number of impressive demonstrations exist, with even some primitive systems being commercially available. On the whole, however, experimental proof-of-principle realisations of quantum information protocols remain an important, and in many cases, an ambitious objective.Digital signatures is an important and widely used application of public key cryptography, and allows one party to securely sign documents so that other parties can be sure of their origin and authenticity. Classical public key cryptography unfortunately relies on unproven assumptions regarding the computational difficulty of reversing a so-called ``one-way mathematical function in order to break the code. Quantum public key cryptography, on the other hand, can be made unconditionally secure based on information-theoretical limits. Our main objective is to realise a proof-of-principle experiment for quantum digital signatures. The protocol is an adaption of the scheme by Gottesman and Chuang modified to use coherent states and linear optics. Essentially, the security is guaranteed because it is impossible to perfectly determine the state of a quantum system, if its possible states are non-orthogonal.
Organisations
Publications
Amiri R
(2015)
Secure Quantum Signatures Using Insecure Quantum Channels
Amiri R
(2016)
Secure quantum signatures using insecure quantum channels
in Physical Review A
Buller G
(2018)
Progress in experimental quantum digital signatures
Clarke PJ
(2012)
Experimental demonstration of quantum digital signatures using phase-encoded coherent states of light.
in Nature communications
Collins R
(2012)
Experimental demonstration of photonic quantum digital signatures
Collins R
(2017)
Experimental demonstration of quantum digital signatures over 43 dB channel loss using differential phase shift quantum key distribution
in Scientific Reports
Collins RJ
(2014)
Realization of quantum digital signatures without the requirement of quantum memory.
in Physical review letters
Donaldson R
(2015)
Experimental demonstration of kilometer-range quantum digital signatures
Donaldson R
(2016)
Experimental demonstration of kilometer-range quantum digital signatures
in Physical Review A
Donaldson R
(2013)
An approach to experimental photonic quantum digital signatures in fiber
Dunjko V
(2012)
Truly noiseless probabilistic amplification
in Physical Review A
Dunjko V
(2014)
Quantum Digital Signatures without Quantum Memory
in Physical Review Letters
Dunjko V
(2013)
Quantum Digital Signatures without quantum memory
Dunjko V
(2016)
Blind quantum computing with two almost identical states
Dunjko V
(2012)
Transformations between symmetric sets of quantum states
in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
Dunjko V
(2012)
Blind quantum computing with weak coherent pulses.
in Physical review letters
FLOESS D
(2013)
Quantum algorithms for testing and learning Boolean functions
in Mathematical Structures in Computer Science
Hillery M
(2011)
Quantum tests for the linearity and permutation invariance of Boolean functions
in Physical Review A
Joshi C
(2013)
Constructive role of dissipation for driven coupled bosonic modes
in Physical Review A
Joshi C
(2011)
Quantum entanglement of anharmonic oscillators
in Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
Joshi C
(2012)
Entanglement of distant optomechanical systems
in Physical Review A
Description | This grant explored the new quantum communications protocol of quantum digital signatures. This project led to the first demonstration of quantum digital signatures, and then further theoretical and experimental innovations in the period after the grant ended. This project led to an explosion of interest in the field, with the UK maintaining a strong lead. |
Exploitation Route | Since the project ended, the work has continued and has become a major part of the UK Quantum Technology Hub in Quantum Communications. This has led to exposure and interest from a variety of UK-based companies. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Security and Diplomacy |
Description | EPSRC Platform Grant - Creating, detecting and exploiting quantum states of light |
Amount | £1,005,002 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/K015338/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2013 |
End | 06/2017 |
Description | UK Quantum Technology Hub for Quantum Communications Technologies |
Amount | £24,093,966 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/M013472/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2014 |
End | 11/2019 |