Random number generation using spontaneous symmetry breaking in a Kerr resonator

We demonstrate an all-optical random number generator based on spontaneous symmetry breaking in a coherently driven Kerr resonator. Random bit sequences are gener-ated by repeatedly tuning a control parameter across a symmetry-breaking bifurcation that enacts random selec-tion between two possible steady-states of the system. Exper-iments are performed in a fiber ring resonator, where the two symmetry-broken steady-states are associated with orthog-onal polarization modes. Detrimental biases due to system asymmetries are suppressed by leveraging a recently dis-covered self-symmetrization phenomenon that ensures the symmetry-breaking dynamics act as an unbiased coin toss, with a genuinely random selection between the two avail-able steady-states. We optically generate bits at a rate of 3 MHz without post-processing and verify their randomness using the National Institute of Standards and Technology and Dieharder statistical test suites.& COPY; 2023 Optica Publish-ing Group

Automated summary

We demonstrate an all-optical random number generator based on spontaneous symmetry breaking in a coherently driven Kerr resonator. Random bit sequences are generated by repeatedly tuning a control parameter across a symmetry-breaking bifurcation that enacts random selection between two possible steady-states of the system. The generated bits have a rate of 3 MHz without post-processing and their randomness is verified using statistical test suites.