Multi-party simultaneous quantum identity authentication based on Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states

¹ College of Science, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications - Nanjing, 210023, China
² College of Electronic and Optical Engineering, & College of Flexible Electronics (Future Technology), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications - Nanjing, 210023, China
³ Institute of Quantum Information and Technology, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications Nanjing, 210003, China
⁴ National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University - Nanjing, 210093, China

^(a) E-mail: zhoul@njupt.edu.cn (corresponding author)

Received: 4 March 2023
Accepted: 26 May 2023

Abstract

A successful implementation of any secure communication protocols requires the identity authentication as a prerequisite. Quantum identity authentication (QIA) can ensure the unconditional security of identity code. In this paper, we propose a multi-party simultaneous quantum identity authentication (MSQIA) protocol based on the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state. In the protocol, N certified users can directly send their identity codes to the authenticator Alice simultaneously through quantum channels without classical communication, which enables Alice to authenticate their identity at the same time. Our protocol only requires Alice to perform the single-photon measurement. In theory, this protocol is unconditionally secure and one pair of (N + 1)-photon GHZ state can transmit N bits of identity codes. Our MSQIA protocol has application potential in the quantum communication field in the near future.