Compact quantum random number generator based on superluminescent light-emitting diodes.

Area of Science:

• Quantum physics
• Information security
• Optical engineering

Background:

• Quantum random number generators (QRNGs) are crucial for secure communication.
• Existing QRNGs often face challenges in terms of practicality, speed, and compactness.
• Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise offers a promising quantum source for random number generation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and realize a practical quantum random number generator (QRNG).
• To achieve a high real-time generation rate for random bit sequences.
• To ensure the generated random numbers meet stringent statistical test standards.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise from superluminescent light emitting diodes as the quantum source.
• Implementing real-time data acquisition and randomness extraction on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
• Integrating all components onto three printed circuit boards for a compact design.

Main Results:

• A functional QRNG with a compact enclosure (140 mm × 120 mm × 25 mm) was successfully developed.
• The QRNG achieved a real-time random bit sequence generation rate of 1.2 Gbps.
• The generated random bit sequences passed both NIST-STS and DIEHARD statistical tests.

Conclusions:

• The proposed QRNG, based on ASE noise, demonstrates high practicability and compactness.
• The real-time generation rate of 1.2 Gbps meets the demands of high-security applications.
• The QRNG's ability to pass comprehensive statistical tests validates its suitability for generating high-quality random numbers.