Imperfection-insensitivity quantum random number generator with untrusted daily illumination

Quantum random number generators (QRNGs) promise secure randomness generation based on the foundational unpredictability of quantum mechanics. However, the unavoidable gaps between theoretical models and practical devices could lead to security invalidation. Recently, a source-independent quantum random number generator (SI-QRNG) has been proposed to solve the issue of uncharacteristic sources. However, in most current analyses of SI-QRNG protocols, the security proofs with imperfect measurements are individual for different factors and very sensitive to small deviations from theoretical models. Here, we establish a unified model for imperfect measurements in the SI-QRNG and provide a tight rate bound based on the uncertainty relation for smooth entropies. Then the performance with large device imperfections is evaluated and the randomness rate in our model can approach a similar order of magnitude of the rate upper bound in common discrete variable QRNGs. In addition, by utilizing the daily illumination and measurement devices with large imperfections, we experimentally demonstrate our scheme at the rate of the order of magnitude of Mbps. (C) 2022 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

This article proposes a unified model for imperfect measurements in SI-QRNG and provides a tight rate bound based on the uncertainty relation for smooth entropies. The performance is evaluated with large device imperfections, and the randomness rate in our model can approach a similar order of magnitude of the rate upper bound in common discrete variable QRNGs.