Francesco Testa

A wide range of applications require, by hypothesis, to have access to a private and genuine random source. Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNGs) are currently the sole technology capable of producing true randomness. Nevertheless, other factors must be considered when addressing real-world use cases, and the bulkiness of current implementations significantly limits their adoption. In this work, we present a high-performance source-device independent QRNG leveraging a custom-made integrated silicon photonic chip. The proposed scheme exploits the properties of a heterodyne receiver to enhance security and integration to promote spatial footprint reduction while simplifying its implementation. Such characteristics could represent a significant advancement toward the development of generators better suited to meet the demands of portable and space applications. Indeed, the system can deliver secure random numbers at a rate greater than 20 Gbps with a reduced encumbrance.