Semi-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution from Operational Assumptions

Quantum Physics arXiv:2607.06682 (quant-ph) [Submitted on 7 Jul 2026] Title:Semi-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution from Operational Assumptions Authors:Anubhav Chaturvedi, Giuseppe Viola, Ekta Panwar, Tushita Prasad, Debashis Saha View a PDF of the paper titled Semi-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution from Operational Assumptions, by Anubhav Chaturvedi and 3 other authors View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:Semi-device-independent quantum key distribution leaves the measurement devices uncharacterized while placing a trusted assumption on Alice's source. We formulate this source assumption operationally on Alice's four-preparation ensemble as a scalar bound on one of four physically motivated source tasks: full-label guessing, parity guessing, or their normalized composites with label exclusion. For the two-bit random-access code, we derive the exact classical frontier for each of the four source assumptions. Numerically, the BB84 strategy attains the maximal quantum deviation from all four frontiers, while the preparation-depolarized BB84 family and the direct-sum label-leakage family trace complementary branches of the arbitrary-dimensional quantum boundary for the two exclusion-assisted assumptions. Because all four task values are monotone under input-independent quantum channels, the same scalar source bound constrains every Bob--Eve extension compatible with the complete observed behavior. Using a three-setting extension that separates RAC testing from key generation, we obtain two dimension-independent security certificates over this feasible set: lower bounds on the conditional min-entropy and conditional von Neumann entropy, obtained respectively by direct optimization of Eve's key-guessing probability and by prepare-and-measure semidefinite relaxations based on the Brown--Fawzi--Fawzi variational bound. The exclusion-assisted assumptions certify positive key rates down to nearly vanishing preparation visibility, far beyond full-label or parity guessing alone. Under direct-sum label leakage, all four independently optimized rate bounds remain positive at every sampled incomplete-leakage point and vanish only at complete label revelation. These results show that robust semi-device-independent security depends not only on what Eve can identify, but also on what she can exclude. Comments: Subjects: Quantum Physics (quant-ph) Cite as: arXiv:2607.06682 [quant-ph] (or arXiv:2607.06682v1 [quant-ph] for this version) https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2607.06682 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration) Submission history From: Anubhav Chaturvedi [view email] [v1] Tue, 7 Jul 2026 18:01:48 UTC (1,079 KB) Full-text links: Access Paper: View a PDF of the paper titled Semi-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution from Operational Assumptions, by Anubhav Chaturvedi and 3 other authorsView PDFHTML (experimental)TeX Source view license Current browse context: quant-ph new | recent | 2026-07 References & Citations INSPIRE HEP NASA ADSGoogle Scholar Semantic Scholar export BibTeX citation Loading... BibTeX formatted citation × loading... Data provided by: Bookmark Bibliographic Tools Bibliographic and Citation Tools Bibliographic Explorer Toggle Bibliographic Explorer (What is the Explorer?) Connected Papers Toggle Connected Papers (What is Connected Papers?) Litmaps Toggle Litmaps (What is Litmaps?) scite.ai Toggle scite Smart Citations (What are Smart Citations?) Code, Data, Media Code, Data and Media Associated with this Article alphaXiv Toggle alphaXiv (What is alphaXiv?) Links to Code Toggle CatalyzeX Code Finder for Papers (What is CatalyzeX?) DagsHub Toggle DagsHub (What is DagsHub?) GotitPub Toggle Gotit.pub (What is GotitPub?) Huggingface Toggle Hugging Face (What is Huggingface?) ScienceCast Toggle ScienceCast (What is ScienceCast?) Demos Demos Replicate Toggle Replicate (What is Replicate?) Spaces Toggle Hugging Face Spaces (What is Spaces?) Spaces Toggle TXYZ.AI (What is TXYZ.AI?) Related Papers Recommenders and Search Tools Link to Influence Flower Influence Flower (What are Influence Flowers?) Core recommender toggle CORE Recommender (What is CORE?) Author Venue Institution Topic About arXivLabs arXivLabs: experimental projects with community collaborators arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website. Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them. Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs. Which authors of this paper are endorsers? | Disable MathJax (What is MathJax?)