Abstract
We perform quantum key distribution (QKD) over a single fibre in the presence of four classical channels in a C-band dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) configuration using a commercial QKD system. The classical channels are used for key distillation and 1 Gbps encrypted communication, rendering the entire system independent of any other communication channel than a single dedicated fibre. We successfully distil secret keys over fibre spans of up to 50 km. The separation between the quantum channel at 1551.72 nm and the nearest classical channel is only 200 GHz, while the classical channels are all separated by 100 GHz. In addition to that, we discuss possible improvements and alternative configurations, e.g. whether it is advantageous to choose the quantum channel at 1310 nm or to opt for a pure C-band (1530–1565 nm) configuration.
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