We present how the mechanisms of quantum Darwinism allow for information leakage in the standard BB84 quantum key distribution protocol, a paradigmatic prepare-and-measure quantum cryptography scenario. We work within the decoherence theory framework and employ the model of measurements provided by quantum Darwinism. We investigate how much of the information about the results crucial for the cryptographic key to be kept secret is leaked during the quantum measurement process and subsequently how much of that information might be later obtained by an eavesdropper using a type of so-called Van Eck side-channel wiretapping. We also show how security can be affected by different ways of organizing the surrounding environment into layers, e.g., rooms or other divisions affecting the spread of quantum information in the environment and its interaction, paving a venue for potential enhancements, and insight into proper engineering of shieldings for cryptographical devices.

Quantum technologies provide many applications for information processing tasks that are impossible to realize within classical physics. These capabilities include such fundamental resources as generating secure, i.e., private and unpredictable random values. Yet, the problem of quantifying the amount of generated randomness is still not fully solved. This work presents a comprehensive analysis of the design and performance optimization of a quantum random number generator (QRNG) based on Bell inequality violations. We investigate key protocol parameters, including the smoothing parameter (𝜖_s), test round probability (𝛾), and switching delays, and their effects on the generation rate and quality of randomness. We identify optimal ranges for 𝛾 and 𝑝_Ω (the protocol’s nonaborting probability) to balance the trade-off between randomness consumption and net randomness generation. We investigate the impact of the laser power on the overall generation rate. We explore the impact of switching delays on the system’s performance, providing strategies to mitigate these effects. The work provides practical guidelines for the efficient and secure design of QRNG systems and other cryptographic protocols.

Quantum information theory explores numerous properties that surpass classical paradigms, offering novel applications and benefits. Among these properties, negative conditional von Neumann entropy (CVNE) is particularly significant in entangled quantum systems, serving as an indicator of potential advantages in various information-theoretic tasks, despite its indirect observability. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between CVNE and the violation of Bell inequalities. Our goal is to establish upper bounds on CVNE through semidefinite programming applied to entangled qubits and qutrits, utilizing selected Bell operators. Our findings reveal that a semi-device-independent certification of negative CVNE is achievable and could be practically beneficial. We further explore two types of robustness: robustness against detection efficiency loopholes, measured by relative violation, and robustness against white noise and imperfections in state preparation, measured by critical visibility. Additionally, we analyze parametrized families of Bell inequalities to identify optimal parameters for different robustness criteria. This study demonstrates that different Bell inequalities exhibit varying degrees of robustness depending on the desired properties, such as the type of noise resistance or the target level of negative CVNE. By bridging the gap between Bell inequalities and CVNE, our research enhances understanding of the quantum properties of entangled systems and offers insights for practical quantum information processing tasks.

Quantum mechanics has greatly impacted our understanding of microscopic nature. One of the key concepts of this theory is generalized measurements, which have proven useful in various quantum information processing tasks. However, despite their significance, they have not yet been shown empirically to provide an advantage in quantum randomness certification and expansion protocols. This investigation explores scenarios where generalized measurements can yield more than 1 bit of certified randomness with a single-qubit system measurement on untrusted devices and against a quantum adversary. We compare the robustness of several protocols to exhibit the advantage of exploiting generalized measurements. In our analysis of experimental data, we were able to obtain 1.21 bits of min-entropy from a measurement taken on one qubit of an entangled state. We also obtained 1.07 bits of min-entropy from an experiment with quantum state preparation and generalized measurement on a single qubit. We also provide finite data analysis for a protocol using generalized measurements and the Entropy Accumulation Theorem. Our exploration demonstrates the potential of generalized measurements to improve the certification of quantum sources of randomness and enhance the security of quantum cryptographic protocols and other areas of quantum information.

This paper explores the application of quantum nonlocality, a renowned and unique phenomenon acknowledged as a valuable resource. Focusing on an alternative application, we demonstrate its quantum advantage for mobile agents engaged in specific distributed tasks without communication. The research addresses the significant challenge of rendezvous on graphs and introduces a distributed task for mobile agents grounded in the graph domination problem. Through an investigation across various graph scenarios, we showcase the quantum advantage. Additionally, we scrutinize deterministic strategies, highlighting their comparatively lower efficiency compared to quantum strategies. The paper concludes with a numerical analysis, providing further insights into our findings.

We study quantum advantage in one-step rendezvous games on simple graphs analytically, numerically, and using noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) processors. Our protocols realise the recently discovered (Mironowicz 2023 New J. Phys. 25 013023) optimal bounds for small cycle graphs and cubic graphs. In the case of cycle graphs, we generalise the protocols to arbitrary graph size. The NISQ processor experiments realise the expected quantum advantage with high accuracy for rendezvous on the complete graph K3. In contrast, for the graph 2 K 4 , formed by two disconnected 4-vertex complete graphs, the performance of the NISQ hardware is sub-classical, consistent with the deeper circuit and known qubit decoherence and gate error rates.

This paper presents a comprehensive exploration of semi-definite programming (SDP) techniques within the context of quantum information. It examines the mathematical foundations of convex optimization, duality, and SDP formulations, providing a solid theoretical framework for addressing optimization challenges in quantum systems. By leveraging these tools, researchers and practitioners can characterize classical and quantum correlations, optimize quantum states, and design efficient quantum algorithms and protocols. The paper also discusses implementational aspects, such as solvers for SDP and modeling tools, enabling the effective employment of optimization techniques in quantum information processing. The insights and methodologies presented in this paper have proven instrumental in advancing the field of quantum information, facilitating the development of novel communication protocols, self-testing methods, and a deeper understanding of quantum entanglement.

Rendezvous is an old problem of assuring that two or more parties, initially separated, not knowing the position of each other, and not allowed to communicate, are striving to meet without pre-agreement on the meeting point. This problem has been extensively studied in classical computer science and has vivid importance to modern and future applications. Quantum non-locality, like Bell inequality violation, has shown that in many cases quantum entanglement allows for improved coordination of two, or more, separated parties compared to classical sources. The non-signaling correlations in many cases even strengthened such phenomena. In this work, we analyze, how Bell non-locality can be used by asymmetric location-aware agents trying to rendezvous on a finite network with a limited number of steps. We provide the optimal solution to this problem for both agents using quantum resources, and agents with only 'classical' computing power. Our results show that for cubic graphs and cycles it is possible to gain an advantage by allowing the agents to use the assistance of entangled quantum states.

One of the striking properties of quantum mechanics is the occurrence of the Bell-type non-locality. They are a fundamental feature of the theory that allows two parties that share an entangled quantum system to observe correlations stronger than possible in classical physics. In addition to their theoretical significance, non-local correlations have practical applications, such as device-independent randomness generation, providing private unpredictable numbers even when they are obtained using devices delivered by an untrusted vendor. Thus, determining the quantity of certifiable randomness that can be produced using a specific set of non-local correlations is of significant interest. In this paper, we present an experimental realization of recent Bell-type operators designed to provide private random numbers that are secure against adversaries with quantum resources. We use semi-definite programming to provide lower bounds on the generated randomness in terms of both min-entropy and von Neumann entropy in a device-independent scenario. We compare experimental setups providing Bell violations close to the Tsirelson's bound with lower rates of events, with setups having slightly worse levels of violation but higher event rates. Our results demonstrate the first experiment that certifies close to two bits of randomness from binary measurements of two parties. Apart from single-round certification, we provide an analysis of finite-key protocol for quantum randomness expansion using the Entropy Accumulation theorem and show its advantages compared to existing solutions.