Quantum Random-number Generation and Key Sharing

Abstract

We review the status of interferometry-based quantum cryptography and compare photon-pair and faint-pulse schemes. The key technical limitations in both cases are the propagation losses and detector performance. We also discuss a simple approach to generating the random measurement bases used in quantum cryptography systems which exploits random partition at a beam splitter. This removes the need for active components in the receiver, reducing system complexity and losses.