Bernardo Gavito, Ramon and Bagci, Ibrahim Ethem and Roberts, Jonny and Sexton, J. and Astbury, Benjamin and Shokeir, Hamzah and Mcgrath, Thomas and Noori, Yasir and Woodhead, Christopher and Missous, Mohammed and Roedig, Utz and Young, Robert James (2017) Extracting random numbers from quantum tunnelling through a single diode. Scientific Reports, 7: 17879. ISSN 2045-2322
1706.07348.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (771kB)
s41598_017_18161_9.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (2MB)
Abstract
Random number generation is crucial in many aspects of everyday life, as online security and privacy depend ultimately on the quality of random numbers. Many current implementations are based on pseudo-random number generators, but information security requires true random numbers for sensitive applications like key generation in banking, defence or even social media. True random number generators are systems whose outputs cannot be determined, even if their internal structure and response history are known. Sources of quantum noise are thus ideal for this application due to their intrinsic uncertainty. In this work, we propose using resonant tunnelling diodes as practical true random number generators based on a quantum mechanical effect. The output of the proposed devices can be directly used as a random stream of bits or can be further distilled using randomness extraction algorithms, depending on the application.