Protocol based on compressed sensing for high-speed authentication and cryptographic key distribution over a multiparty optical network

We present a protocol for the amplification and distribution of a one-time-pad cryptographic key over a point-to-multipoint optical network based on computational ghost imaging (GI) and compressed sensing (CS). It is shown experimentally that CS imaging can perform faster authentication and increase the key generation rate by an order of magnitude compared with the scheme using computational GI alone. The protocol is applicable for any number of legitimate user, thus, the scheme could be used in real intercity networks where high speed and high security are crucial. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America