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I'm taking a course on quantum cryptography and I have a homework to calculate probability of error in BB84.

The task says to assume that Eve uses the Breidbart basis with eigenvectors $$|φ_0⟩ = \cos(π/8)|0⟩ + \sin(π/8)|1⟩, |φ_1⟩ = − \sin(π/8)|0⟩ + \cos(π/8)|1⟩$$

It further clarifies that, Eves uses as measurement POVM $\{|φ_0⟩⟨φ_0|,|φ_1⟩⟨φ_1|\}$ which implies that: $Pr\{m_E = i\} = |⟨φ_i|ψ⟩|^2$, where |ψ⟩ is the transmitted qubit.

Now, I have three exercises to solve:

  1. Compute the probability of error at Eve and Bob of the encoded key bits assuming that Eve is consistently measuring all transmitted qubits of the quantum channel using the Breidbart basis

  2. Compare the results to the case in which Eve also measures all qubits but randomly chooses the X or Z basis

  3. Finally obtain the probability of error at Eve and Bob if Eve only measures each of the transmitted qubits using the Breidbart basis with a probability p and with probability $1 − p$ Eve does not perform any measurement on that qubit and flips a fair coin to guess the encoded bit

For the second question, I'm thinking that if Eve randomly chooses the X or Z basis, then the probability of error at Eve would be 0.5.

And for the third case if $p$ is 1, then the case is the same as the first, and if the probability is 0, then the error at Eve is 0.5 since she randomly guesses and Eve doesn't affect the error at Bob.

Other than that I'm a bit lost as to how to calculate the probability especially in the first exercise.

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    $\begingroup$ Would Quantum Computing be a better home for this question? $\endgroup$
    – Qmechanic
    Commented Mar 21, 2023 at 3:18
  • $\begingroup$ Oh thanks, didn't know that was a thing, I'll try it there. $\endgroup$
    – demonsrun
    Commented Mar 22, 2023 at 17:02

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