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Updated: May 13, 2026
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A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference
Published on: September 5, 2019
True random number generator based on discretized encoding of the time interval between photons
Shen Li1, Long Wang, Ling-An Wu
1Laboratory of Space Science Experiment Technology, Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
Summary
This study introduces a novel method for generating true random numbers by encoding photon time intervals. The approach is efficient and produces longer, highly random sequences compared to existing techniques.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Physics
- Information Science
Background:
- True random number generation is crucial for secure communication and scientific simulations.
- Existing methods often rely on complex processes or produce shorter sequences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple and efficient method for generating true random number sequences.
- To create sequences longer than those produced by threshold or parity selection methods.
Main Methods:
- Discretized encoding of the time interval between detected photons.
- Utilizing the inherent randomness of photon emission times.
Main Results:
- A proof-of-principle experiment demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method.
- The generated sequences were significantly longer and exhibited high randomness compared to existing techniques.
- The system showed potential for easy integration.
Conclusions:
- The proposed photon time interval encoding method offers a simple, efficient, and scalable approach to true random number generation.
- This technique has promising applications in quantum cryptography and other fields requiring high-quality random numbers.
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