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Applied Optics

Random bit generation using coherent state and threshold detectors at 1550 nanometers

Elisa F. Carneiro, Felipe Calliari, Gustavo Castro do Amaral, Guilherme P. Temporão

Published Aug 11, 2017• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We theoretically propose and experimentally validate a practical random bit generation method based on the detections of a coherent state in the few-photon regime by a gated single-photon threshold detector, operating at the telecom wavelength of 1550 nanometers. By fine tuning the mean number of photons per pulse of a laser beam directed to the single-photon detector, a 50-50 chance of detection or no-detection is reached; under this condition, detections inside the gate window are treated as "1"s, while "0"s are associated with the absence of detections. The same method could also be applied in a free-running single-photon detector for increased throughput by chopping the light signal instead of gating the detector. Both hardware implementations yielded bit strings, which were evaluated by a standard randomness test suite with good confidence. Despite the yet low rates achieved by the proposed method, its hardware compatibility with quantum key distribution setups makes it an interesting candidate for random number generation within the context of practical quantum communications.

DOI
10.1364/ao.56.006855

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We theoretically propose and experimentally validate a practical random bit generation method based on the detections of a coherent state in the few-photon regime by a gated single-photon threshold detector, operating at the telecom wavelength of 1550 nanometers. By fine tuning the mean number of photons per pulse of a laser beam directed to the single-photon detector, a 50-50 chance of detection or no-detection is reached; under this condition, detections inside the gate window are treated as "1"s, while "0"s are associated with the absence of detections. The same method could also be applied in a free-running single-photon detector for increased throughput by chopping the light signal instead of gating the detector. Both hardware implementations yielded bit strings, which were evaluated by a standard randomness test suite with good confidence. Despite the yet low rates achieved by the proposed method, its hardware compatibility with quantum key distribution setups makes it an interesting candidate for random number generation within the context of practical quantum communications.
We propose and demonstrate a technique for quantum random number generation based on the random population of the output spatial modes of a beam splitter when both inputs are simultaneously fed with indistinguishable weak coherent states. We simulate and experimentally validate the probability of generation of random bits as a function of the average photon number per input, and compare it to the traditional approach of a single weak coherent state transmitted through a beam-splitter, showing an improvement of up to 32%. The ensuing interference phenomenon reduces the probability of coincident counts between the detectors associated with bits 0 and 1, thus increasing the probability of occurrence of a valid output. A long bit string is assessed by a standard randomness test suite with good confidence. Our proposal can be easily implemented and opens attractive performance gains without a significant trade-off.
The prototype quantum random number (random bit) generator (QRNG) consists of one photon at a time falling on a 50:50 beam splitter followed by random detection in one or the other output beams due to the irreducible probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. Due to the difficulties in producing single photons on demand, in practice, pulses of weak coherent (laser) light are used. In this paper, we take a different approach, one that uses moderate coherent light. It is shown that a QRNG can be implemented by performing photon-number parity measurements. For moderate coherent light, the probabilities of obtaining even or odd parity in photon counts are 0.5 each. Photon counting with single-photon resolution can be performed through use of a cascade of beam splitters and single-photon detectors, as was done recently in a photon-number parity-based interferometry experiment involving coherent light. We highlight the point that unlike most quantum-based random number generators, our proposal does not require the use of classical de-biasing algorithms or post-processing of the generated bit sequence.
The prototype quantum random number (random bit) generators (QRNG) consists of one photon at a time falling on a 50:5050:5050:50 beam splitter followed by random detection in one or the other other output beams due to the irreducible probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. Due to the difficulties in producing single photons on demand, in practice, pulses of weak coherent (laser) light are used. In this paper we take a different approach, one that uses moderate coherent light. It is shown that a QRNG can be implemented by performing photon-number parity measurements. For moderate coherent light, the probabilities for obtaining even or odd parity in photon counts are 0.50.50.5 each. Photon counting with single-photon resolution can be performed through use of a cascade of beam splitters and single-photon detectors as was done recently in a photon-number parity-based interferometry experiment involving coherent light.
We present an efficient and robust quantum random number generator based upon high-rate room temperature photon number detection. We employ an electric field-modulated silicon avalanche photodiode, a type of device particularly suited to high-rate photon number detection with excellent photon number resolution to detect, without an applied dead-time, up to 4 photons from the optical pulses emitted by a laser. By both measuring and modeling the response of the detector to the incident photons, we are able to determine the illumination conditions that achieve an optimal bit rate that we show is robust against variation in the photon flux. We extract random bits from the detected photon numbers with an efficiency of 99% corresponding to 1.97 bits per detected photon number yielding a bit rate of 143 Mbit/s, and verify that the extracted bits pass stringent statistical tests for randomness. Our scheme is highly scalable and has the potential of multi-Gbit/s bit rates.
A simple protocol which takes advantage of the inherent random times of detections in single photon counting modules is presented for random active basis choices when using entanglement-based protocols for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). It may also be applicable to the BB84 protocol in certain cases. The scheme presented uses the single photon detectors already present on a QKD setup, working on the same rate as the system is capable of detecting, and is, therefore, not limited by the output rates of quantum random number generators. This protocol only requires small hardware modifications making it an attractive solution. We perform a proof-of-principle experiment employing a spontaneous parametric down-conversion process in a χ(2)\chi^{(2)}χ(2) non-linear crystal to demonstrate the feasibility of our scheme, and show that the generated sequence passes randomness tests.
Quantum random number generators are becoming mandatory in a demanding technology world of high performing learning algorithms and security guidelines. Our implementation based on principles of quantum mechanics enable us to achieve the required randomness. We have generated high-quality quantum random numbers from a weak coherent source at telecommunication wavelength. The entropy is based on time of arrival of quantum states within a predefined time interval. The detection of photons by the InGaAs single-photon detectors and high precision time measurement of 5 ps enables us to generate 16 random bits per arrival time which is the highest reported to date. We have presented the theoretical analysis and experimental verification of the random number generation methodology. The method eliminates the requirement of any randomness extractor to be applied thereby, leveraging the principles of quantum physics to generate random numbers. The output data rate is on an average of 2.4 Mbps. The raw quantum random numbers are compared with NIST prescribed Blum-Blum-Shub pseudo random number generator and an in-house built hardware random number generator from FPGA, on the ENT and NIST Platform.