Quantum based technology for Random Number Generation, Develops DRDO Young Scientists Laboratory

A Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) has been developed by the DRDO Young Scientist Laboratory for Quantum Technologies (DYSL-QT). This fiber-optic branch path based generator can detect random quantum events and convert them into a series of binary digits.

The principle of the branch path based QRNG is that if a single photon is incident on a balanced beam splitter, the photon can randomly take either of the beam-splitter output paths. As the path is random, this randomness is converted into sequence of bits.

The QRNG developed by the DRDO laboratory has passed the global testing standards of randomness, i.e., Die-harder Statistical Test Suites and NIST at a speed of ~150 kbps after post-processing. This new development has ensured India’s entry into the group of countries, which have technology to achieve the generation of random numbers through Quantum technology.

Since Quantum mechanics has the potential to provide true random numbers, it becomes the preferred technique for scientific applications requiring randomness. The random numbers play an essential role in various fields, such as Quantum Communication, lotteries, cryptography, fundamental physics experiments and scientific simulations.