Communication System Performance Analysis of Satellite-to-Ground BB84 Quantum Key Distribution over Gamma–Gamma Turbulence Channels with Pointing Errors.
Sahil Bhardwaj, Vikas Sidhu
AI summary
75% confidenceThis paper analyzes the performance of satellite-to-ground BB84 Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) links over Gamma–Gamma turbulence channels, accounting for atmospheric effects and pointing errors. It derives closed-form expressions for outage probability and Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER) across weak to strong turbulence regimes while evaluating Secure Key Rates under various weather conditions. The study highlights that satellite vibration-induced misalignment significantly degrades link reliability.
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Abstract
Abstract Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) provides information-theoretic security for future communication networks by exploiting the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics. However, satellite-to-ground QKD links suffer significant performance degradation due to atmospheric turbulence, absorption, scattering, and satellite-induced pointing errors. This paper investigates the BB84 QKD protocol over a Free-Space Optical (FSO) channel modeled using the Gamma–Gamma distribution, which accurately captures both small-scale and large-scale atmospheric irradiance fluctuations. Closed-form and numerical results for outage probability and Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER) are presented under weak, moderate, and strong turbulence regimes. The Secure Key Rate (SKR) is analyzed as a function of link distance under clear and foggy weather conditions. Additionally, the impact of satellite vibration is evaluated using a jitter-dependent pointing error model, demonstrating that misalignment significantly reduces link reliability. Simulation results show that strong turbulence conditions introduce more than 15 dB SNR penalty compared to clear-sky operation, while haze conditions limit QKD range to under 8–10 km. These findings provide practical performance benchmarks for Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) quantum downlinks in realistic atmospheric environments. The results provide practical insights for electronic receiver design and system implementation of satellite quantum communication links.
Key findings
- Strong turbulence conditions introduce an SNR penalty of more than 15 dB compared to clear-sky operation.
- Haze and foggy weather conditions severely limit the achievable Secure Key Rate (SKR).
- Satellite vibration causing pointing errors significantly reduces link reliability and increases QBER.
Keywords
Identifiers
- Journal
- Research Square
- Year
- 2026