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arXiv:2110.06387 · AVS Quantum Science

Quantum randomness generation via orbital angular momentum modes crosstalk in a ring-core fiber

Mujtaba Zahidy, Hamid Tebyanian, Daniele Cozzolino, Yaoxin Liu, Yunhong Ding, Toshio Morioka, Leif Katsuo Oxenløwe, Davide Bacco

Published Feb 8, 2022• 18 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Genuine random numbers can be produced beyond a shadow of doubt through the intrinsic randomness provided by quantum mechanics theories. While many degrees of freedom have been investigated for randomness generation, adequate attention has not been paid to the orbital angular momentum of light. In this work, we present a quantum random number generator based on the intrinsic randomness inherited from the superposition of orbital angular momentum modes caused by the cross talk inside a ring-core fiber. We studied two possible cases: a first one, device-dependent, where the system is trusted, and a second one, semi-device-independent, where the adversary can control the measurements. We experimentally realized the former, extracted randomness, and, after privacy amplification, we achieved a generation rate higher than 10 Mbit/s. In addition, we presented a possible realization of the semi-device-independent protocol using a newly introduced integrated silicon photonic chip. Our work can be considered as a starting point for novel investigation of quantum random number generators based on the orbital angular momentum of light.

DOI
10.1116/5.0074253

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Genuine random numbers can be produced beyond a shadow of doubt through the intrinsic randomness provided by quantum mechanics theories. While many degrees of freedom have been investigated for randomness generation, adequate attention has not been paid to the orbital angular momentum of light. In this work, we present a quantum random number generator based on the intrinsic randomness inherited from the superposition of orbital angular momentum modes caused by the cross talk inside a ring-core fiber. We studied two possible cases: a first one, device-dependent, where the system is trusted, and a second one, semi-device-independent, where the adversary can control the measurements. We experimentally realized the former, extracted randomness, and, after privacy amplification, we achieved a generation rate higher than 10 Mbit/s. In addition, we presented a possible realization of the semi-device-independent protocol using a newly introduced integrated silicon photonic chip. Our work can be considered as a starting point for novel investigation of quantum random number generators based on the orbital angular momentum of light.
Light carrying orbital angular momentum constitutes an important resource for both classical and quantum information technologies. Its inherently unbounded nature can be exploited to generate high-dimensional quantum states or for channel multiplexing in classical and quantum communication in order to significantly boost the data capacity and the secret key rate, respectively. While the big potentials of light owning orbital angular momentum have been widely ascertained, its technological deployment is still limited by the difficulties deriving from the fabrication of integrated and scalable photonic devices able to generate and manipulate it. Here, we present a photonic integrated chip able to excite orbital angular momentum modes in an 800 m long ring-core fiber, allowing us to perform parallel quantum key distribution using two and three different modes simultaneously. The experiment sets the first steps towards quantum orbital angular momentum division multiplexing enabled by a compact and light-weight silicon chip, and further pushes the development of integrated scalable devices supporting orbital angular momentum modes.
Data protection and confidentiality have become a serious concern in today’s world. Their security is guaranteed by cryptographic protocols, which heavily rely on random numbers as a measure against predictability. Classically, randomness is generated via complex but deterministic algorithms, which are vulnerable to attacks. Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNGs) have emerged as a promising solution, as they provide true random numbers based on the intrinsic non-deterministic nature of quantum mechanics. However, critical challenges for QRNGs are the certification and quantification of their genuine randomness, especially in the presence of untrusted devices, and their compactness for systematic deployment. In this feasibility study, to face these challenges, we propose to use a silicon-photonic platform, leveraging on the concept of quantum contextuality for a semi-device independent generator. In particular, we use Klyachko-Can-Binicioglu-Shumovsky (KCBS) inequality to assess a fundamental property of quantum measurements: that their outcomes depend on the specific measurement context.
The power of quantum random number generation is more than just the ability to create truly random numbers—it can also enable , which allows the user to verify the implementation integrity of critical quantum components with minimal assumptions. In this work, we develop and implement a self-testing quantum random number generator (QRNG) chipset capable of generating 15.33 Mbits of certifiable randomness in each run, producing an expansion rate of 5.11 × 10 − 4 at a repetition rate of 10 MHz, with quantum side information considered for a high level of security. The chip design is based on a highly loss-and-noise-tolerant measurement-device-independent protocol, where random coherent states encoded using quadrature phase shift keying are used to self-test the integrated homodyne detectors—well-known to be challenging to characterize in practice. Importantly, this proposal opens up the possibility of implementing miniaturized self-testing QRNG devices at production scale using standard silicon photonics foundry platforms.
We present a semi-device-independent quantum random number generator (QRNG) based on the violation of a contextuality inequality, implemented by the integration of two silicon photonic chips. Our system combines a heralded single-photon source with a reconfigurable interferometric mesh to implement qutrit state preparation, transformations, and measurements suitable for testing a KCBS contextuality inequality. This architecture enables the generation of random numbers from the intrinsic randomness of single-photon interference in a complex optical network, while simultaneously allowing a quantitative certification of their security without requiring entanglement. We observe a contextuality violation exceeding the classical bound by more than 10σ, unambiguously confirming non-classical behavior. From this violation, we certify a conditional min-entropy per experimental round of Hmin = 0.077 +- 0.002, derived via a tailored semidefinite-programming-based security analysis. Each measurement outcome therefore contains at least 0.077 +- 0.002 bits of extractable genuine randomness, corresponding to an asymptotic generation rate of 21.7 +- 0.5 bits/s. These results establish a viable route towards general-purpose, untrusted quantum random number generators compatible with practical integrated photonic quantum networks.
Randomness amplification, the task of extracting uniform private bits from biased seeds that may be partly known by a malicious third party, is of central importance in cryptography. The highest security in this task is provided by a class of quantum protocols known as device-independent, which however are challenging to integrate into scalable devices. Semi-device-independent (SDI) protocols are a promising alternative that guarantees security under few natural assumptions, such as bounds on the amount of energy used by the devices. Here, we provide the first demonstration of SDI randomness amplification on an integrated silicon photonic chip, achieving a throughput rate of 20 Mbps suitable for practical applications. This rate is achieved through a novel technique for SDI entropy certification, which delivers strictly tighter von Neumann entropy bounds compared to existing methods and remains valid even if the preparation and measurement devices share quantum correlations. Overall, the methods developed in this work enable the integration of SDI technology into portable telecom devices, opening up a new generation of quantum cryptographic hardware.
In the realm of quantum information processing, harnessing high-dimensional photonic systems provides a pathway to overcome limitations of traditional two-level systems. Orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light has emerged as a powerful tool for creating and manipulating high-dimensional entanglement, promising increased information capacity and enhanced security in quantum communication protocols. However, conventional methods like spontaneous parametric downconversion encounter challenges due to non-uniform production rates of Laguerre–Gaussian modes. This study explores the potential of spontaneous four-wave mixing in ring-core fibers (RCFs) as a viable platform for generating OAM photon pairs with tailored spectral and spatial properties. We show that by controlling the topological charge of pump photons, correlated, uncorrelated, and anti-correlated photon pairs can be engineered across arbitrary spectral ranges, essential for diverse quantum applications. Experimental noise characterization of the RCF-based source demonstrates a high coincidence-to-accidental ratio exceeding 4000, and a low heralded second-order correlation function ( g H (2) <0.005), which confirms its operation well into the single-photon regime. This work demonstrates the potential of RCFs as a versatile platform for generating structured photon pairs, paving the way for future high-dimensional quantum communication and information processing applications.