Deterministic secure quantum communication with double-encoded single photons

Abstract

Quantum communication is an important branch of quantum technology. It can safely transmit private information between legitimate parties and its unconditional security is guaranteed by quantum physics. So far, deterministic secure quantum communication without entanglement usually transmits single photons in two-way quantum channels. We propose a deterministic secure quantum communication proposal, and it requires a one-way quantum channel and a classical channel. In our protocol, a sender encodes logical bits by using two conjugate bases consisting of the polarization and time-bin degrees of freedom of a photon and transmits it to a receiver over a quantum channel. Upon receiving this photon, the receiver measures it randomly in two bases and can decode the bit deterministically with the help of the sender. Any attack from eavesdroppers will be detected by the legitimate parties. Furthermore, this protocol can be implemented with linear-optic elements and single-photon detectors.