An Efficient Testing Process for a Quantum Key Distribution System Modeling Framework

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is an innovative technology which exploits the laws of quantum mechanics to generate and distribute unconditionally secure shared keying material for use in cryptographic applications. However, QKD is a nascent technology where real-world systems are constructed from non-ideal components, which can significantly impact system security and performance. In this paper, we discuss a testing process to support a QKD modeling framework built to enable the efficient study of real-world QKD systems. Specifically, we designed a testing process that leveraged existing open source tools to efficiently perform verification testing of QKD optical and electro-optical components. This process provides an efficient means to verify the functionality of an entire library of modeled optical components to expected analytical results based on commercial specifications. Three example test cases of components commonly used in QKD systems are provided to demonstrate the utility of the test process. This research describes a generalizable efficient way to verify and develop modeled behaviors in support of model and simulation frameworks. Keywords—Quantum Key Distribution; Model and Simulation; Verification