An Asynchronous and Low-Power True Random Number Generator using STT-MTJ

TL;DR

This paper presents a low-power, asynchronous true random number generator based on STT-MTJ technology, achieving high entropy rates and robustness to process variations for security applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel asynchronous TRNG design using STT-MTJ devices, demonstrating high entropy rates and robustness through numerical simulation.

Findings

Entropy rate between 99.7Mbps and 127.8Mbps

Energy per bit between 6-7.7 pJ

Robustness to process variation

Abstract

The emerging Spin Transfer Torque Magnetic Tunnel Junction (STT-MTJ) technology exhibits interesting stochastic behavior combined with small area and low operation energy. It is, therefore, a promising technology for security applications, specifically the generation of random numbers. In this paper, STT-MTJ is used to construct an asynchronous true random number generator (TRNG) with low power and a high entropy rate. The asynchronous design enables decoupling of the random number generation from the system clock, allowing it to be embedded in low-power devices. The proposed TRNG is evaluated by a numerical simulation, using the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation as the model of the STT-MTJ devices. Design considerations, attack analysis, and process variation are discussed and evaluated. We show that our design is robust to process variation, achieving an entropy generating rate between 99.7Mbps and 127.8Mbps with 6-7.7 pJ per bit for 90% of the instances.