Verifiable anonymous quantum communication with authentication based on d-level single-particle states

Abstract

Abstract Anonymous quantum communication (AQC) enables the secure transmission of classical and quantum messages while preserving the anonymity of the sender, receiver, or both. Qudits, quantum states with more advantages than qubits in terms of information transmission rate and eavesdropping detection, offer promising capabilities. In this paper, we propose a verifiable AQC (VAQC) protocol utilizing d-level single-particle states, establishing anonymous entanglement between a public sender and an anonymous receiver. By using quantum teleportation, the public sender can transmit private information to his/her chosen anonymous receiver. The verifiable function of the proposed protocol guarantees the legitimacy of all participants’ identities and verifies the correctness of the anonymous entanglement. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the proposed VAQC protocol satisfies the requirements of correctness, anonymity, and security. The proposed VAQC protocol exhibits extensibility and can be extended to enable private communication between an anonymous sender and an anonymous receiver, as well as anonymous entanglement among multiple participants. This work lays the foundation for practical applications in achieving d-level anonymous entanglement and anonymous transmission of qudits.