Optical fibre-based quantum random number generator: stochastic modelling and measurements.

Area of Science:

• Quantum Information Science
• Optoelectronics
• Cryptography

Background:

• Quantum random number generation (QRNG) is crucial for secure communications.
• Existing QRNG systems often lack detailed theoretical models or practical stability.
• Fiber optic implementations offer potential for robust and efficient QRNG.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and analyze a novel fiber optic QRNG system.
• To create a stochastic model for the entropy source of the QRNG.
• To validate the system's performance and randomness for cryptographic applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a branching path approach with spatial superposition in fiber optics.
• Developed a novel stochastic model to describe the entropy source.
• Calculated quantum efficiency and Shannon entropy based on the model.
• Performed statistical tests on experimentally generated random numbers.

Main Results:

• Achieved full agreement between theoretical model predictions and experimental data.
• Confirmed high randomness and usability of generated numbers for cryptography.
• Demonstrated stable operation with 15% efficiency and an 8 kb/s generation rate.

Conclusions:

• The developed fiber optic QRNG system is theoretically sound and experimentally validated.
• The system's high randomness and efficiency make it suitable for quantum key distribution.
• This work contributes a robust QRNG solution for secure communication and cryptographic applications.