Strong experimental guarantees in ultrafast quantum random number generation

TL;DR

This paper presents a rigorous methodology for certifying quantum random number generators (QRNGs) with strong experimental guarantees, ensuring high-quality randomness even under worst-case assumptions.

Contribution

It introduces a standard proof framework for QRNG claims, applying it to phase-diffusion QRNGs, and demonstrates ultrafast generation with quantified confidence levels.

Findings

At least 2.3 quantum random bits per symbol with 8-bit digitization

At least 0.83 quantum random bits per symbol with binary digitization

Achieves ultrafast QRNG with strong experimental guarantees

Abstract

We describe a methodology and standard of proof for experimental claims of quantum random number generation (QRNG), analogous to well-established methods from precision measurement. For appropriately constructed physical implementations, lower bounds on the quantum contribution to the average min-entropy can be derived from measurements on the QRNG output. Given these bounds, randomness extractors allow generation of nearly perfect "{\epsilon}-random" bit streams. An analysis of experimental uncertainties then gives experimentally derived confidence levels on the {\epsilon} randomness of these sequences. We demonstrate the methodology by application to phase-diffusion QRNG, driven by spontaneous emission as a trusted randomness source. All other factors, including classical phase noise, amplitude fluctuations, digitization errors and correlations due to finite detection bandwidth, are treated with paranoid caution, i.e., assuming the worst possible behaviors consistent with observations. A data-constrained numerical optimization of the distribution of untrusted parameters is used to lower bound the average min-entropy. Under this paranoid analysis, the QRNG remains efficient, generating at least 2.3 quantum random bits per symbol with 8-bit digitization and at least 0.83 quantum random bits per symbol with binary digitization, at a confidence level of 0.99993. The result demonstrates ultrafast QRNG with strong experimental guarantees.