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Journal of Lightwave Technology

100 Gbit/s Secure and Real-Time Vacuum Fluctuation Based Quantum Random Number Generator

Axl Bomhals, Cédric Bruynsteen, Caro Meysmans, Achim Vandierendonck, Xin Liang Yin

Published Feb 23, 2026• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

True randomness is an essential requirement in numerous classical and quantum cryptographic systems and applications to guarantee secure communication, necessitating the research and design of promising quantum random number generators. As communication systems become more randomness consuming, current generators fail to deliver the required throughput mainly due to slow and often delayed post-processing. To address these performance issues, this work presents an FPGA-based quantum random number generator based on our previous work that uses a low optical power, custom-designed integrated vacuum fluctuation source. An adaptive, efficient and fast Toeplitz hashing scheme is developed with a configurable security factor, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. The high clearance and large bandwidth of the low-noise photonic-electronic detector in combination with hardware accelerated processing makes it possible for the presented dual channel generator to deliver a record generation rate of 100.3 Gbit/s for secure usage in real-time. Due to the small form factor, the design shows promise to be fully integrated into a custom-packaged device.

DOI
10.1109/jlt.2026.3665249

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True randomness is an essential requirement in numerous classical and quantum cryptographic systems and applications to guarantee secure communication, necessitating the research and design of promising quantum random number generators. As communication systems become more randomness consuming, current generators fail to deliver the required throughput mainly due to slow and often delayed post-processing. To address these performance issues, this work presents an FPGA-based quantum random number generator based on our previous work that uses a low optical power, custom-designed integrated vacuum fluctuation source. An adaptive, efficient and fast Toeplitz hashing scheme is developed with a configurable security factor, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. The high clearance and large bandwidth of the low-noise photonic-electronic detector in combination with hardware accelerated processing makes it possible for the presented dual channel generator to deliver a record generation rate of 100.3 Gbit/s for secure usage in real-time. Due to the small form factor, the design shows promise to be fully integrated into a custom-packaged device.
Abstract We present a high-speed continuous-variable quantum random number generator (QRNG) based on heterodyne detection of vacuum fluctuations. The scheme follows a source-device-independent security model in which the entropy originates from quantum measurement uncertainty and no model of the source is required; security depends only on the trusted measurement device and the calibrated discretization, and thus remains valid even under adversarial state preparation. The optical field is split by a 90 ∘ optical hybrid and measured by two balanced photodiodes to obtain both quadratures of the vacuum state simultaneously. The analog outputs are digitized using a dual-channel 12-bit analog-to-digital converter operating at a sampling rate of 3.2 GS s −1 per channel, and processed in real time by an field-programmable gate array (FPGA) implementing Toeplitz hashing for randomness extraction. The quantum-to-classical noise ratio was verified through calibrated power spectral density measurements and cross-checked in the time domain, confirming vacuum-noise dominance within the 1.6 GHz detection bandwidth. After extraction, the system achieves a sustained generation rate of R net = 33.92 Gbit s − 1 of uniformly distributed random bits, which pass all NIST and Dieharder statistical tests. The demonstrated platform provides a compact, FPGA-based realization of a practical heterodyne continuous-variable source-independent QRNG suitable for high-rate quantum communication and secure key distribution systems.
We present a high-speed continuous-variable quantum random number generator (QRNG) based on heterodyne detection of vacuum fluctuations. The scheme follows a source-device-independent (SDI) security model in which the entropy originates from quantum measurement uncertainty and no model of the source is required; security depends only on the trusted measurement device and the calibrated discretization, and thus remains valid even under adversarial state preparation. The optical field is split by a 90∘^\circ∘ optical hybrid and measured by two balanced photodiodes to obtain both quadratures of the vacuum state simultaneously. The analog outputs are digitized using a dual-channel 12-bit analog-to-digital converter operating at a sampling rate of 3.2 GS/s per channel, and processed in real time by an FPGA implementing Toeplitz hashing for randomness extraction. The quantum-to-classical noise ratio was verified through calibrated power spectral density measurements and cross-checked in the time domain, confirming vacuum-noise dominance within the 1.6 GHz detection bandwidth. After extraction, the system achieves a sustained generation rate of Rnet=33.92 Gbit/sR_{\rm net}= 33.92~\mathrm{Gbit/s}Rnet​=33.92 Gbit/s of uniformly distributed random bits, which pass all NIST and Dieharder statistical tests. The demonstrated platform provides a compact, FPGA-based realization of a practical heterodyne continuous-variable source-independent QRNG suitable for high-rate quantum communication and secure key distribution systems.
Emerging communication and cryptography applications call for reliable fast unpredictable random number generators.Quantum random number generation allows for the creation of truly unpredictable numbers due to the inherent randomness available in quantum mechanics.A popular approach is to use the quantum vacuum state to generate random numbers.While convenient, this approach has been generally limited in speed compared to other schemes.Here, through custom codesign of optoelectronic integrated circuits and side-information reduction by digital filtering, we experimentally demonstrate an ultrafast generation rate of 100 Gbit/s, setting a new record for vacuum-based quantum random number generation by one order of magnitude.Furthermore, our experimental demonstrations are well supported by an upgraded device-dependent framework that is secure against both classical and quantum side information and that also properly considers the nonlinearity in the digitization process.This ultrafast secure random number generator in the chip-scale platform holds promise for next-generation communication and cryptography applications.
The quantum random number generation exploits inherent randomness of quantum mechanical processes and measurements. The real-time generation rate of quantum random numbers is usually limited by electronic bandwidth and data processing rates. Here we use a multiplexing scheme to create a fast real-time quantum random number generator based on continuous variable vacuum fluctuations. Multiple sideband frequency modes of a quantum vacuum state within a homodyne detection bandwidth are concurrently extracted as the randomness source. Parallel postprocessing of raw data from three subentropy sources is realized in one field-programmable gate array (FPGA) based on Toeplitz-hashing extractors. A cumulative generation rate of 8.25 Gbps in real time is achieved. The system relies on optoelectronic components and circuits that could be integrated in a compact, economical package.
Unpredictable random number (RN) generation is an essential technology for cryptographic applications. Quantum RN generators (QRNGs) have attracted significant attention owing to their generation of RNs utilizing the randomness guaranteed by quantum mechanics. Vacuum fluctuations are a promising entropy source of quantum randomness. These are detected using a homodyne setup with a laser source and a beam splitter. QRNGs based on vacuum fluctuations can generate RNs at a high-speed and in a stable manner. This paper reports a high-speed spatially multiplexed QRNG based on vacuum fluctuations using a single semiconductor laser diode and an integrated optical beam splitter. The QRNG obtained four independent vacuum fluctuations across a wide bandwidth of over 2 GHz. The RNs were extracted in parallel using a field-programmable gate array with analog-to-digital converters. An aggregated real-time RN generation rate of 4×12.5 Gbit/s was achieved. The generated RNs passed a randomness test based on NIST SP800-90B.