Improved eavesdropping detection strategy based on four-particle cluster state in quantum direct communication protocol

Abstract

In order to improve the eavesdropping detection efficiency in a two-step quantum direct communication protocol, an improved eavesdropping detection strategy using the four-particle cluster state is proposed, in which the four-particle cluster state is used to detect eavesdroppers. During the security analysis, the method of the entropy theory is introduced, and two detection strategies are compared quantitatively using the constraint between the information that the eavesdropper can obtain and the interference that has been introduced. If the eavesdroppers intend to obtain all information, the eavesdropping detection rate of the original two-step quantum direct communication protocol using EPR pair block as detection particles will be 50%; while the proposed strategy's detection rate will be 75%. In the end, the security of the proposed protocol is discussed. The analysis results show that the eavesdropping detection strategy presented is more secure. © 2012 The Author(s).