PHYSICS

Heterodyne detection method of multimode states for subcarrier wave continuous variable quantum key distribution

I. M. Filipov^ab, R. K. Goncharov^a, M. V. Dashkov^c, E. I. Bogdanova^c, A. V. Zinovev^a, V. V. Chistiakov^a, F. D. Kiselev<sup>ab

a</sup> ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
^b SMARTS-Quanttelecom JSC, St. Petersburg, Russia
^c Povolzhskiy State University of Telecommunications and Informatics (PSUTI), Samara, Russia

Abstract: A novel coherent detection method for subcarrier wave (SCW) quantum states applied to continuousvariable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) is presented. The proposed approach relies on repeated phase modulation at the receiver and spatial separation of the carrier and subcarrier frequency components. The resulting output is an intermediate frequency determined by the difference between the sender’s and receiver’s modulation frequencies. An analytical model of the detection output is developed through time-varying modulation using a classical method based on Bessel functions, and a comparative analysis with alternative heterodyne detection methods is provided. Experimental validation confirms the linear dependence of the output signal on the receiver’s modulation frequency and the sender’s modulation index in the small-modulation regime. Furthermore, the feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated through the detection of discretely modulated signals using quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK).

Keywords: coherent detection, subcarrier wave, continuous variable, quantum key distribution.

Received: 02.10.2025
Revised: 01.11.2025
Accepted: 13.11.2025

Language: English

DOI: 10.17586/2220-8054-2025-16-6-778-784