Preventing eavesdropping with bright reference pulses for a practical quantum key distribution

We analyze application of bright reference pulses to prevent the photon-number-splitting attack in weak-pulse quantum key distribution. Under the analyzed eavesdropping strategy, the optimal parameters of bright reference and signal pulses can ensure a secure transmission distance up to 146 km. To realize the quantum key distribution scenario with up-present techniques, we present an experimentally feasible scheme to create a large splitting ratio between bright reference and signal pulses, and to switch the bright reference pulses away from signal pulses to avoid the after-pulse disturbance.