Generation of high quality random numbers via an all-silicon-based approach

Abstract

A quantum random number generator (QRNG) based on a silicon nanocrystals (Si‐NCs) light emitting device (LED) coupled with a silicon single photon avalanche photodiode (Si‐SPAD) is presented. A simple setup is used for the generation of random bits. The modeled approach assures a negligible bias on datasets of ∼100 Mbits length. The raw data pass all the statistical tests in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) suite without any post‐processing operations. The bit‐rate of 0.6 Mbps is achieved. The information‐theoretically provable randomness extractor of Toeplitz‐hashing function is applied to longer datasets (∼1 Gbits) to extract the randomness, to minimize the bias, and consequently pass all the NIST tests. Stabilizing the temperature, resetting the applied current to the LED, or a feedback system can also be used as parameter control solutions to generate good quality, long datasets of random numbers suitable for cryptographic applications.

Compact Quantum Random Number Generator with Silicon Nanocrystals Light Emitting Device Coupled to a Silicon Photomultiplier

“…As can be seen, a flat cross-correlation graph (with no peak or dip) is observed, which demonstrates that the detected photons follow a Poisson distribution. This is another proof, in addition to the χ 2 statistic [6], that the Poisson distribution is a good match for the distribution of the detected photons which are emitted from the Si-NCs LLED.…”

“…Remarkably the Si-NCs LLED have similar emission properties and statistics as the standard small Si-NCs which we have previously developed for PQRNG application [6,9]. Therefore we could use the same robust methodology to extract high quality random numbers which is implemented on a FPGA.…”

“…The randomness in path taken by photons arriving on a beam splitter 1 [1], the comparison of the waiting time for photon arrivals in adjacent time intervals [2] and the combination of both methods [3] have been used to generate random numbers. In some other works, encoding the number of arriving photons in observation windows [4][5][6] and the randomness in the photon arrival times [7][8][9] have been used to produce random numbers. Recently, a robust approach based on arrival times of photons has been proposed by our group [9].…”

Thirty Years in Silicon Photonics: A Personal View

“…The first concept we used is the probabilistic nature of spontaneous emission, by which a light source emits randomly photons whose time of arrival on singlephoton detectors (single-photon avalanche photodiode, SPAD) is used to generate random bits (Figure 14A) [209]. To use an all silicon approach, the photon source was a Si-NC LED where, with our setup, we measured a Poisson distribution of the emitted photons [218]. With a poissonian distribution, given a photon flux λ, if we use a time-bin t w ln (2)/λ we have an equal probability to detect one photon and no photon.…”