Fabrication and evaluation of high-quality and low-cost quantum random number generators

Abstract

In this paper, we have fabricated two quantum random number generators (QRNGs) based on different mechanisms. The first one is based on the photon time of arrival and produces high-quality random numbers without the need for post-processing but using expensive equipment. The second one is based on the tunneling effect in a Zener diode and produces random strings with comparable quality but using low-cost equipment. We then evaluated the random sequences from these QRNGs using a set of statistical tests and showed that they are suitable for special applications such as quantum technologies.