Quantum-Safe Key Distribution over WDM Metro Networks: Architecture and Field Trial

Quantum computing poses a threat to the standard cryptographic primitives and requires the implementation of quantum-safe designs in the existing network infrastructures. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) has been used to provide information-theoretic security but its compatibility with high capacity wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) systems is a challenge to its deployment in metropolitan networks. In this paper, the architectural design and outcomes of a field trial assessing the concept of co-propagation of quantum and classical signals in a dense WDM metro environment are introduced. We discuss and measure the performance of multi-span fibres and measure quantum bit error rates in the presence of highlypower classical loading and the stability of the end-to-end key generation. A hybrid architecture that incorporates both QKD and classical post-quantum solutions is introduced to make them more resilient, optimized in terms of spectrum usage, and scalable to operator-grade services. The experimental findings show that QKD can be smoothly incorporated into the metro networks without affecting throughput and latency, indicating a way forward to practical quantum safe communications to future critical infrastructures.

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