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A generator for unique quantum random numbers based on vacuum states

Nature Photonics volume 4, pages 711–715 (2010)Cite this article

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Abstract

Random numbers are a valuable component in diverse applications that range from simulations1 over gambling to cryptography2,3. The quest for true randomness in these applications has engendered a large variety of different proposals for producing random numbers based on the foundational unpredictability of quantum mechanics4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11. However, most approaches do not consider that a potential adversary could have knowledge about the generated numbers, so the numbers are not verifiably random and unique12,13,14,15. Here we present a simple experimental setup based on homodyne measurements that uses the purity of a continuous-variable quantum vacuum state to generate unique random numbers. We use the intrinsic randomness in measuring the quadratures of a mode in the lowest energy vacuum state, which cannot be correlated to any other state. The simplicity of our source, combined with its verifiably unique randomness, are important attributes for achieving high-reliability, high-speed and low-cost quantum random number generators.

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Figure 1: The homodyne setup, measurement and generation of raw bit sequences.
Figure 2: Noise measurements.
Figure 3: Influence of classical noise on the entropy of the system.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the EU project Q-ESSENCE and the Danish Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Guenther-Scharowsky-Strasse 1, Erlangen, D-91058, Germany

    Christian Gabriel, Christoffer Wittmann, Denis Sych, Ruifang Dong, Ulrik L. Andersen, Christoph Marquardt & Gerd Leuchs

  2. Institute for Optics, Information and Photonics, University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Staudtstrasse 7/B2, Erlangen, D-91058, Germany

    Christian Gabriel, Christoffer Wittmann, Denis Sych, Ruifang Dong, Ulrik L. Andersen, Christoph Marquardt & Gerd Leuchs

  3. Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark

    Ruifang Dong & Ulrik L. Andersen

  4. Siemens AG, Corporate Technology, Otto-Hahn-Ring 6, München, 81739, Germany

    Wolfgang Mauerer

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  1. Christian Gabriel
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  3. Denis Sych
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  8. Gerd Leuchs
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Contributions

U.L.A. conceived the original concept and proposed the experiment. Experimental work and some of the data analysis were carried out by C.G. together with C.W. and R.D.. W.M. conducted the theoretical investigations on the hashing and statistical tests as well as the final data analysis. D.S. contributed to theoretical investigations and proposed the idea of unique random numbers. Project planning was carried out by C.W., U.L.A., D.S., C.M. and C.G.. The paper was written by C.G., C.W., W.M., C.M., D.S., U.L.A. and G.L.. The project was initiated and supervised by U.L.A., C.M. and G.L.

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Correspondence to Christian Gabriel.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Gabriel, C., Wittmann, C., Sych, D. et al. A generator for unique quantum random numbers based on vacuum states. Nature Photon 4, 711–715 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2010.197

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