The Cortex-A57 is ARM's most advanced high-performance applications processor, while the Cortex-A53 is the most power-efficient ARM application processor.

ENGADGET: ARM's Cortex-A50 chips promise 3x performance of current superphones by 2014, throw in 64-bit for good measure

This combination of assured single-photon emission at high rates driven by power no different from a battery, Dr Hoefling said, brings QKD much closer to commercial application.

BBC: Quantum key distribution with single photons