"""
Simulation of the Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) protocol called BB84,
created by Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard in 1984.
BB84 is a key-distribution protocol that ensures secure key distribution
using qubits instead of classical bits. The generated key is the result
of simulating a quantum circuit. Our algorithm to construct the circuit
is as follows:
Alice generates two binary strings. One encodes the basis for each qubit:
- 0 -> {0,1} basis.
- 1 -> {+,-} basis.
The other encodes the state:
- 0 -> |0> or |+>.
- 1 -> |1> or |->.
Bob also generates a binary string and uses the same convention to choose
a basis for measurement. Based on the following results, we follow the
algorithm below:
X|0> = |1>
H|0> = |+>
HX|0> = |->
1. Whenever Alice wants to encode 1 in a qubit, she applies an
X (NOT) gate to the qubit. To encode 0, no action is needed.
2. Wherever she wants to encode it in the {+,-} basis, she applies
an H (Hadamard) gate. No action is necessary to encode a qubit in
the {0,1} basis.
3. She then sends the qubits to Bob (symbolically represented in
this circuit using wires).
4. Bob measures the qubits according to his binary string for
measurement. To measure a qubit in the {+,-} basis, he applies
an H gate to the corresponding qubit and then performs a measurement.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BB84
https://qiskit.org/textbook/ch-algorithms/quantum-key-distribution.html
"""
import numpy as np
import qiskit
def bb84(key_len: int = 8, seed: int | None = None) -> str:
"""
Performs the BB84 protocol using a key made of `key_len` bits.
The two parties in the key distribution are called Alice and Bob.
Args:
key_len: The length of the generated key in bits. The default is 8.
seed: Seed for the random number generator.
Mostly used for testing. Default is None.
Returns:
key: The key generated using BB84 protocol.
>>> bb84(16, seed=0)
'1101101100010000'
>>> bb84(8, seed=0)
'01011011'
"""
rng = np.random.default_rng(seed=seed)
num_qubits = 6 * key_len
alice_basis = rng.integers(2, size=num_qubits)
alice_state = rng.integers(2, size=num_qubits)
bob_basis = rng.integers(2, size=num_qubits)
bb84_circ = qiskit.QuantumCircuit(num_qubits, name="BB84")
for index, _ in enumerate(alice_basis):
if alice_state[index] == 1:
bb84_circ.x(index)
if alice_basis[index] == 1:
bb84_circ.h(index)
bb84_circ.barrier()
for index, _ in enumerate(bob_basis):
if bob_basis[index] == 1:
bb84_circ.h(index)
bb84_circ.barrier()
bb84_circ.measure_all()
sim = qiskit.Aer.get_backend("aer_simulator")
job = qiskit.execute(bb84_circ, sim, shots=1, seed_simulator=seed)
result = job.result().get_counts(bb84_circ).most_frequent()
gen_key = "".join(
[
result_bit
for alice_basis_bit, bob_basis_bit, result_bit in zip(
alice_basis, bob_basis, result
)
if alice_basis_bit == bob_basis_bit
]
)
key = gen_key[:key_len] if len(gen_key) >= key_len else gen_key.ljust(key_len, "0")
return key
if __name__ == "__main__":
print(f"The generated key is : {bb84(8, seed=0)}")
from doctest import testmod
testmod()