Method for generating a random number on a quantum-mechanical basis and random number generator
US6609139B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 2000 |
| Grant date | Aug 19, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F7/588
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for generating a random number on a quantum-mechanics machanics basis using the fundamentally random choice of path of a quantum particle on a beam splitter. Detectors are provided for capturing the particles being assigned to the outputs of the beam splitter. The detectors or their counting events represent different number values of the random number, or random number sequence. The generation of a multi-particle state in the output channel of the beam splitter, and thus of several particles which impact on a detector (D1, D1′, D2, D2′), significantly and advantageously increases the response probability of the detector and thus the probability of obtaining a useable counting event for every multi-particle state generated by the particle source. In this way a random sequence can be obtained more rapidly and more reliably than with single-particle detection.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.