Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 108-115 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Laser & Photonic Reviews |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Keywords
- Quantum Randomness, Single Photon Detection, Single Photons, Avalanche Photodiodes, Waiting time distributions, Entropy, Quantum states of light, Hanbury Brown and Twiss, Photon statistics, Single photons, Quantum randomness
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
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In: Laser & Photonic Reviews, Vol. 10, No. 1, 2016, p. 108-115.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Light on a Beam Splitter: More Randomness with Single Photons
AU - Oberreiter, Lukas
AU - Gerhardt, Ilja
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - One of the most fundamental quantum random number generators is implemented with light impinging onto a beam splitter, and two single photon detectors at its output. Often, this generator is described as "a photon which takes one or the other path towards a detector". The input state of light in conjunction with the detector response is relevant for the amount, the pattern and the correlation of the generated clicks. Only a fraction of all generator outcomes, the min-entropy, can be used as a further resource for true randomness. This paper addresses the difference in the common description with incoming single photons and the often implemented scheme with a weak coherent light source, such as an attenuated laser. For this very fundamental and widely used configuration the amount of usable entropy is compared: If single photons from an anti-bunched light-source are supplied, the amount of entropy is higher than for the case of a supplied coherent state - although the latter can be arbitrarily bright unlike the single photon source. Furthermore, we can show that the use of a single photon emitter makes an injection of external information by an adversary into the device extremely challenging.
AB - One of the most fundamental quantum random number generators is implemented with light impinging onto a beam splitter, and two single photon detectors at its output. Often, this generator is described as "a photon which takes one or the other path towards a detector". The input state of light in conjunction with the detector response is relevant for the amount, the pattern and the correlation of the generated clicks. Only a fraction of all generator outcomes, the min-entropy, can be used as a further resource for true randomness. This paper addresses the difference in the common description with incoming single photons and the often implemented scheme with a weak coherent light source, such as an attenuated laser. For this very fundamental and widely used configuration the amount of usable entropy is compared: If single photons from an anti-bunched light-source are supplied, the amount of entropy is higher than for the case of a supplied coherent state - although the latter can be arbitrarily bright unlike the single photon source. Furthermore, we can show that the use of a single photon emitter makes an injection of external information by an adversary into the device extremely challenging.
KW - Quantum Randomness
KW - Single Photon Detection
KW - Single Photons
KW - Avalanche Photodiodes
KW - Waiting time distributions
KW - Entropy
KW - Quantum states of light
KW - Hanbury Brown and Twiss
KW - Photon statistics
KW - Single photons
KW - Quantum randomness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84954394400&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/lpor.201500165
DO - 10.1002/lpor.201500165
M3 - Article
VL - 10
SP - 108
EP - 115
JO - Laser & Photonic Reviews
JF - Laser & Photonic Reviews
IS - 1
ER -