Source-linked AI summary
A High Speed, Post-Processing Free, Quantum Random Number Generator
J. F. Dynes, Z. L. Yuan, A. W. Sharpe, A. J. Shields
TL;DR
Existing QRNG designs can require post-processing to remove bias, motivating a simpler approach. This paper uses long-coherence single photons and GHz-gated detection to generate 4.01 megabits/s that pass statistical tests without post-processing.
Problem
Some QRNG designs produce biased raw bits because detector efficiencies and beamsplitter transmission may be unequal, making post-processing necessary.
Method
The QRNG uses an attenuated CW laser, one self-differencing InGaAs single-photon detector, and random wavefunction-collapse cycles to encode detection events as bits.
Results
4.01 megabits/s of random bits passed stringent NIST and Diehard statistical tests.
Takeaways & Limitations
The demonstrated QRNG provides high-quality random numbers from a simple single-source, single-detector device without classical post-processing.
Takeaways & Limitations
Earlier beamsplitter-based QRNGs require post-processing because unequal detector efficiencies and nonideal 50:50 splitting can bias the raw bits.
Abstract
from arXiv · showhide
A quantum random number generator (QRNG) based on gated single photon detection of an InGaAs photodiode at GHz frequency is demonstrated. Owing to the extremely long coherence time of each photon, each photons' wavefuntion extends over many gating cycles of the photodiode. The collapse of the photon wavefunction on random gating cycles as well as photon random arrival time detection events are used to generate sequences of random bits at a rate of 4.01 megabits/s. Importantly, the random outputs are intrinsically bias-free and require no post-processing procedure to pass random number statistical tests, making this QRNG an extremely simple device.