High-speed optical quantum random number generation
02.06.2010
In collaboration with the company qutools and the quantum optics group around Prof. Christian Kurtsiefer of the National University of Singapore we have developed a new high speed (50 Mbit/s) optical quantum random bit generator. The source of randomness is based on the uncertainty of the detection time of photons emitted from a light emitting diode (LED). These photons are collected by a single photon detector (photoelectron-multiplier-tube) at a high rate and are subsequently digitized by an FPGA based electronic circuit in real time. With careful tuning of the LED's light intensity, any post processing can be omitted completely. The device passes the usual test suites for physical random number generators.