Two-step unsymmetrical quantum key distribution protocol using GHZ triplet states

The security, efficiency, transmission distance and error rate are important parameters of a quantum key distribution scheme. In this article, the former two parameters are focused on. To reach high efficiency, an unsymmetrical quantum key distribution scheme that employs Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) triplet states and dense coding mechanism is proposed, in which a GHZ triplet state can be used to share two bits of classical information. The proposed scheme can be employed in a noisy or lossy quantum channel. In addition, a general approach to security analysis against general individual attacks is presented.