Implementation Security of Quantum Cryptography

The PhD project is based at Toshiba Europe Ltd, in collaboration with the University of York, and focuses on enhancing the security of quantum key distribution (QKD) systems.

The project involves designing and implementing new techniques to improve the security of QKD systems. The candidate will evaluate the performance of optical and electronic components and apply these techniques to a QKD system prototype. The project offers an opportunity to contribute to the development of cutting-edge QKD security techniques and gain expertise in the field of optical characterisation and security enhancement.

The work will involve extensive experimental research, combining both high-speed optical and electronic devices, in addition to developing new software for implementing countermeasures to external attacks. It is expected that the candidate will develop broad expertise with semiconductor lasers, pulse generation, optical modulation, high-speed RF electronics, fibre optics, quantum photonics, quantum information science, and single-photon photo-detection. There are also opportunities for the experimental work to be underpinned by theoretical studies to simulate and optimise the underlying quantum communication protocols.