Independent Analysis of ARMOS QKD Performance in Global Network Environments (Using VIAVI’s MAP 300 Equipment)

This white paper presents a controlled experimental evaluation of QNu’s patented, certified and deployed ARMOS Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) system using the VIAVI Solutions’ MAP-300 platform. The study examines system performance under realistic physical-layer conditions, including polarisation fluctuations, controlled channel attenuation, simulated fibre outages, and co-propagating O-band classical traffic. 

Key performance metrics such as Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER), detector click rates, and secure key rate (SKR) are analysed. 

The results demonstrate stable system operation and predictable performance degradation under varying impairments, supporting the suitability of the ARMOS QKD system for deployment in carrier-grade optical networks. Notably, reliable operation is maintained up to 40 dB channel loss, corresponding to approximately 200 km of standard telecom fibre (assuming 0.2 dB/km attenuation). 

Furthermore, the study confirms that the decoy-state DPS protocol remains robust under these realistic channel conditions, enabling secure key generation even at high loss levels.