A Receiver for Reference-Frame-Independent Quantum-Key-Distribution Based on Hybrid Polarization and Time-Bin Encoding

Abstract

We propose a novel receiver scheme for RFI-QKD based on a hybrid conversion of time-bin encoded qubits into polarization. This allows us to obtain stable transmission of time-of-arrival information whereas the phase is retrieved via free-space polarization measurements. A prototype is developed and preliminary experimental data are presented.