Method for generating random numbers and associated random number generator

• US 10,437,559 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2018
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantum Numbers Corp.
• Original Assignee: Quantum Numbers Corp.
• Inventors: Reulet, Bertrand
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Tan V
• Application Number:
  US16/024,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20190012145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 708250-256, 708 3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/588 Random number generators, i.e. based on natural stochastic processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 10/00 Quantum computing, i.e. information processing based on quantum-mechanical phenomena

Abstract

A random signal can be obtained from a random tunneling of charges from one conductor to another conductor across a quantum tunneling barrier. The random signal can be amplified and associated to a random number. The association can be performed repetitively to generate a sequence of random numbers.

Claims

1. A method for generating at least one random number, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a current of charges tunneling from a first one of two conductors to a second one of the two conductors across an insulator material, the current of the tunneled charges having an instantaneous level varying randomly due to quantum tunneling and forming a random signal, wherein each one of the two conductors is configured to be connectable to a corresponding terminal of a voltage source;

associating the instantaneous level of the random signal to a random number; and

generating a signal indicative of the random number.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the quantum tunnelling of charges by applying a difference of potential across the two conductors, and wherein during said applying a difference of potential, said quantum tunnelling barrier causes classical reflection of charges driven against it by the difference of potential.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising amplifying the instantaneous level of the random signal prior to said association.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said amplifying is applied solely to components of the instantaneous level of the random signal within a frequency bandwidth of 0.1 MHz to 1000 MHz.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating further comprises sampling the instantaneous level of the random signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said sampling further comprises determining the random number based on one or more of the least significant bits of a plurality of bits of the sampled random signal.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said sampling is performed at a rate above 1 billion samplings per second.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the two conductors are in the form of conductive layers sandwiching the insulator material.