Simultaneous classical communication and quantum key distribution based on Gaussian modulated coherent states

Abstract

We propose a new quantum communication scheme using quantum coherent states. In our scheme, classical information and the secret key are transmitted simultaneously without any loss of secret key rate performance, while only the secret key is transmitted in the conventional protocol. In our protocol, classical information is first modulated by pulse amplitude modulation (PAM). The secret key is then mapped by random Gaussian modulation and is added to the PAM symbol. The receiver decodes the classical information, treating the Gaussian signal as additive noise. The classical symbol is discarded from the received state after successive decoding of the classical information, and the secret key is then distilled by conventional protocol. We demonstrate that after the classical symbol is discarded, the remaining system is identical to the conventional quantum key distribution system. Our proposed scheme provides the same secret key rate as that of the conventional quantum key distribution system and provides an additional data rate of classical information.