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Most prior semi-quantum key distribution (SQKD) protocols are designed in the context of qubits. In this paper, we proposed an SQKD protocol using (d +1) quantum states in two mutually unbiased bases in the context of qudits without invoking the classical party's measurement capability. It not only decreases the quantum states sent by quantum party by half, but also improves the efficiency of key rate than qubits do. To prove the security of present protocol, we first illustrate that the present protocol is completely robust, and then prove its unconditional security from information theoretical perspective by computing its key rate and noise tolerance against cloning-based individual attack. The unconditional security proof demonstrates that the higher dimension of quantum system is, the higher key rate can be obtained and the higher noise tolerance is allowed in depolarization channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decoherence is one of the main obstacles in quantum information processing. In cryptographic scenarios, in particular, decoherence is not only responsible for the loss of the quantum properties but also for information leakage out to a wiretapper. Given that decoherence must be fought in real-world quantum communication systems, we present a scheme, using decoherence-free subspaces and subsystems, to perform secure classical communications through noisy quantum channels. Using quantum information and wiretap theories, we establish a proof of unconditional security of our scheme. We illustrate our proposal with a non-trivial example and discuss some of its impacts on already existing quantum secure message exchange protocols. Furthermore, we present some up-to-date technologies that can be used for practical implementation of the scheme proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the collective eavesdropping of the BB84 and six-state protocols. Since these protocols are symmetric in the eigenstates of conjugate bases, we consider collective attacks having the same kind of symmetry. We then show how these symmetric collective attacks are sufficiently strong in order to minimize the Devetak–Winter rates. In fact, it is quite easy to construct simple examples able to reach the unconditionally secure key rates of these protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]