Randomness expansion where one generates a longer sequence of random numbers from a short one is viable in quantum mechanics but not allowed classically. Device-independent quantum randomness expansion provides a randomness resource of the highest security level. Here, we report the first experimental realization of device-independent quantum randomness expansion secure against quantum side information established through quantum probability estimation. We generate $5.47\times10^8$ quantum-proof random bits while consuming $4.39\times10^8$ bits of entropy, expanding our store of randomness by $1.08\times10^8$ bits at a latency of about $13.1$ h, with a total soundness error $4.6\times10^{-10}$. Device-independent quantum randomness expansion not only enriches our understanding of randomness but also sets a solid base to bring quantum-certifiable random bits into realistic applications.
We consider the generation of randomness based upon the observed violation of an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering inequality, known as one-sided device-independent randomness expansion. We show that in the simplest scenario -- involving only two parties applying two measurements with $d$ outcomes each -- that there exist EPR steering inequalities whose maximal violation certifies the maximal amount of randomness, equal to log(d) bits. We further show that all pure partially entangled full-Schmidt-rank states in all dimensions can achieve maximal violation of these inequalities, and thus …
We present a device-independent randomness expansion protocol, involving only a constant number of non-signaling quantum devices, that achieves \emph{infinite expansion}: starting with $m$ bits of uniform private randomness, the protocol can produce an unbounded amount of certified randomness that is $\exp(-Ω(m^{1/3}))$-close to uniform and secure against a quantum adversary. The only parameters which depend on the size of the input are the soundness of the protocol and the security of the output (both are inverse exponential in $m$). This settles a long-standing open problem in the area of ra…
With the advent of quantum information, the violation of a Bell inequality is used as evidence of the absence of an eavesdropper in cryptographic scenarios such as key distribution and randomness expansion. One of the key assumptions of Bell's Theorem is the existence of experimental "free will", meaning that measurement settings can be chosen at random and independently by each party. The relaxation of this assumption potentially shifts the balance of power towards an eavesdropper. We consider a no-signalling model with reduced "free will" and bound the adversary's capabilities in the task of…
We question the commonly accepted statement that random numbers certified by Bell's theorem carry some special sort of randomness, so to say, quantum randomness or intrinsic randomness. We show that such numbers can be easily generated by classical random generators.
By proposing device-independent protocols, S. Pironio et al. [Nature 464, 1021-1024 (2010)] and R. Colbeck et al. [Nature Physics 8, 450-453 (2012)] proved that new randomness can be generated by using perfectly free random sources or partially free ones as seed. Subsequently, Li et al. [Phys. Rev. A 84, 034301 (2011)] studied this topic in the framework of semi-device-independent and proved that new randomness can be obtained from perfectly free random sources. Here we discuss whether and how partially free random sources bring us new randomness in semi-device-independent scenario. We propose…
A device-independent randomness expansion protocol aims to take an initial random seed and generate a longer one without relying on details of how the devices operate for security. A large amount of work to date has focussed on a particular protocol based on spot-checking devices using the CHSH inequality. Here we show how to derive randomness expansion rates for a wide range of protocols, with security against a quantum adversary. Our technique uses semidefinite programming and a recent improvement of the entropy accumulation theorem. To support the work and facilitate its use, we provide cod…
The ability to produce random numbers that are unknown to any outside party is crucial for many applications. Device-independent randomness generation does not require trusted devices and therefore provides strong guarantees of the security of the output, but it comes at the price of requiring the violation of a Bell inequality for implementation. A further challenge is to make the bounds in the security proofs tight enough to allow randomness expansion with contemporary technology. Although randomness has been generated in recent experiments, the amount of randomness consumed in doing so has …
We introduce a protocol through which a pair of quantum mechanical devices may be used to generate n bits of true randomness from a seed of O(log n) uniform bits. The bits generated are certifiably random based only on a simple statistical test that can be performed by the user, and on the assumption that the devices obey the no-signaling principle. No other assumptions are placed on the devices' inner workings. A modified protocol uses a seed of O(log^3 n) uniformly random bits to generate $n$ bits of true randomness even conditioned on the state of a quantum adversary who may have had prior …
Recent randomness expansion protocols have been proposed which are able to generate an unbounded amount of randomness from a finite amount of truly random initial seed. One such protocol, given by Miller and Shi, uses a pair of non-signaling untrusted quantum mechanical devices. These play XOR games with inputs given by the user in order to generate an output. Here we present an analysis of the required seed size, giving explicit upper bounds for the number of initial random bits needed to jump-start the protocol. The bits output from such a protocol are $\varepsilon$-close to uniform even aga…
A recent sequence of works, initially motivated by the study of the nonlocal properties of entanglement, demonstrate that a source of information-theoretically certified randomness can be constructed based only on two simple assumptions: the prior existence of a short random seed and the ability to ensure that two black-box devices do not communicate (i.e. are non-signaling). We call protocols achieving such certified amplification of a short random seed randomness amplifiers. We introduce a simple framework in which we initiate the systematic study of the possibilities and limitations of rand…
In this paper we investigate properties of several randomness generation protocols in the device independent framework. Using Bell-type inequalities it is possible to certify that the numbers generated by an untrusted device are indeed random. We present a selection of certificates which guarantee two bits of randomness for each run of the experiment in the noiseless case and require the parties to share a maximally entangled state. To compare them we study their efficiency in the presence of white noise. We find that for different amounts of noise different operators are optimal for certifyin…
Randomness is an important resource for many applications, from gambling to secure communication. However, guaranteeing that the output from a candidate random source could not have been predicted by an outside party is a challenging task, and many supposedly random sources used today provide no such guarantee. Quantum solutions to this problem exist, for example a device which internally sends a photon through a beam-splitter and observes on which side it emerges, but, presently, such solutions require the user to trust the internal workings of the device. Here we seek to go beyond this limit…
Colbeck (Thesis, 2006) proposed using Bell inequality violations to generate certified random numbers. While full quantum-security proofs have been given, it remains a major open problem to identify the broadest class of Bell inequalities and lowest performance requirements to achieve such security. In this paper, working within the broad class of spot-checking protocols, we prove exactly which Bell inequality violations can be used to achieve full security. Our result greatly improves the known noise tolerance for secure randomness expansion: for the commonly used CHSH game, full security was…
Bell inequalities tailored to optimal global randomness certification
ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology（ICFO-光子科学研究所，巴塞罗那科技研究所）；Center for Quantum-Enabled Computing, Center for Theoretical Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences（波兰科学院量子使能计算中心，理论物理中心）；Department of Algorithms and System Modeling, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdańsk University of Technology（格但斯克理工大学电子、电信与信息学院算法与系统建模系）；ICREA-Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats（ICREA-加泰罗尼亚高级研究学院）
How to generate provably true randomness with minimal assumptions? This question is important not only for the efficiency and the security of information processing, but also for understanding how extremely unpredictable events are possible in Nature. All current solutions require special structures in the initial source of randomness, or a certain independence relation among two or more sources. Both types of assumptions are impossible to test and difficult to guarantee in practice. Here we show how this fundamental limit can be circumvented by extractors that base security on the validity of…
We study random number expansion protocols based on the $n \to 1$ quantum random access codes (QRACs). We consider them in the semi-device independent scenario where the inner workings of the devices are unknown to us but we can certify the dimensions of the systems being communicated. This approach does not require the use of the entanglement and makes the physical realization of these protocols much easier than in the standard device independent scenario. In our work, we propose a protocol for randomness expansion, compute min-entropy for the semi-device independent protocol, and investigate…
Local finite rate semi device independent randomness expansion from quantum contextuality
Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi（印度技术学院曼迪分校量子科学与技术中心）；School of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi（印度技术学院曼迪分校物理科学学院）
In this paper, we analyze several critical issues in semi-device independent quantum information processing protocol. In practical experimental realization randomness generation in that scenario is possible only if the efficiency of the detectors used is above a certain threshold. Our analysis shows that the critical detection efficiency is 0.7071 in the symmetric setup, while in the asymmetric setup if one of the bases has perfect critical detection efficiency then the other one can be arbitrarily close to 0. We also analyze the semi-device independent random number generation efficiency base…
The nonlocal behavior of quantum mechanics can be used to generate guaranteed fresh randomness from an untrusted device that consists of two nonsignalling components; since the generation process requires some initial fresh randomness to act as a catalyst, one also speaks of randomness expansion. Colbeck and Kent proposed the first method for generating randomness from untrusted devices, however, without providing a rigorous analysis. This was addressed subsequently by Pironio et al. [Nature 464 (2010)], who aimed at deriving a lower bound on the min-entropy of the data extracted from an untru…
The amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise has been extensively studied and employed to build quantum random number generators (QRNGs). While the previous relative works mainly focus on the realization and verification of the QRNG system, the comprehensive physical model and randomness quantification for the general detection of the ASE noise are still incomplete, which is essential for the quantitative security analysis. In this paper, a systematical physical model for the emission, detection and acquisition of the ASE noise with added electronic noise is developed and verified, based on …
The entropy or randomness source is an essential ingredient in random number generation. Quantum random number generators generally require well modeled and calibrated light sources, such as a laser, to generate randomness. With uncharacterized light sources, such as sunlight or an uncharacterized laser, genuine randomness is practically hard to be quantified or extracted owing to its unknown or complicated structure. By exploiting a recently proposed source-independent randomness generation protocol, we theoretically modify it by considering practical issues and experimentally realize the mod…
We study a generalization of the Mermin-Peres magic square game to arbitrary rectangular dimensions. After exhibiting some general properties, these rectangular games are fully characterized in terms of their optimal win probabilities for quantum strategies. We find that for $m \times n$ rectangular games of dimensions $m,n \geq 3$ there are quantum strategies that win with certainty, while for dimensions $1 \times n$ quantum strategies do not outperform classical strategies. The final case of dimensions $2 \times n$ is richer, and we give upper and lower bounds that both outperform the classi…
With the growing availability of experimental loophole-free Bell tests, it has become possible to implement a new class of device-independent random number generators whose output can be certified to be uniformly random without requiring a detailed model of the quantum devices used. However, all of these experiments require many input bits in order to certify a small number of output bits, and it is an outstanding challenge to develop a system that generates more randomness than is consumed. Here, we devise a device-independent spot-checking protocol that consumes only uniform bits without req…
The output randomness from a random number generator can be certified by observing the violation of quantum contextuality inequalities based on the Kochen-Specker theorem. Contextuality can be tested in a single quantum system, which significantly simplifies the experimental requirements to observe the violation comparing to the ones based on nonlocality tests. However, it is not yet resolved how to ensure compatibilities for sequential measurements that is required in contextuality tests. Here, we employ a modified Klyachko-Can-Binicioğlu-Shumovsky contextuality inequality, which can ease the…
Measurements on entangled quantum systems necessarily yield outcomes that are intrinsically unpredictable if they violate a Bell inequality. This property can be used to generate certified randomness in a device-independent way, i.e., without making detailed assumptions about the internal working of the quantum devices used to generate the random numbers. Furthermore these numbers are also private, i.e., they appear random not only to the user, but also to any adversary that might possess a perfect description of the devices. Since this process requires a small initial random seed, one usually…
Expansion and amplification of weak randomness with untrusted quantum devices has recently become a very fruitful topic of research. Here we contribute with a procedure for amplifying a single weak random source using tri-partite GHZ-type entangled states. If the quality of the source reaches a fixed threshold $R=\frac{1}{4}\log_{2}(10)$, perfect random bits can be produced. This technique can be used to extract randomness from sources that can't be extracted neither classically, nor by existing procedures developed for Santha-Vazirani sources. Our protocol works with a single fault-free devic…
We show that by taking into account randomness of realization of experimental contexts it is possible to construct common Kolmogorov space for data collected for these contexts, although they can be incompatible. We call such a construction "Kolmogorovization" of contextuality. This construction of common probability space is applied to Bell's inequality. It is well known that its violation is a consequence of collecting statistical data in a few incompatible experiments. In experiments performed in quantum optics contexts are determined by selections of pairs of angles $(θ_i, θ^\prime_j)$ fix…
The generation of certifiable randomness is the most fundamental information-theoretic task that meaningfully separates quantum devices from their classical counterparts. We propose a protocol for exponential certified randomness expansion using a single quantum device. The protocol calls for the device to implement a simple quantum circuit of constant depth on a 2D lattice of qubits. The output of the circuit can be verified classically in linear time, and is guaranteed to contain a polynomial number of certified random bits assuming that the device used to generate the output operated using …
Quantum information processing shows advantages in many tasks, including quantum communication and computation, comparing to its classical counterpart. The essence of quantum processing lies on the fundamental difference between classical and quantum states. For a physical system, the coherent superposition on a computational basis is different from the statistical mixture of states in the same basis. Such coherent superposition endows the possibility of generating true random numbers, realizing parallel computing, and other classically impossible tasks such as quantum Bernoulli factory. Consi…
We present a violation of the CHSH inequality without the fair sampling assumption with a continuously pumped photon pair source combined with two high efficiency superconducting detectors. Due to the continuous nature of the source, the choice of the duration of each measurement round effectively controls the average number of photon pairs participating in the Bell test. We observe a maximum violation of S= 2.01602(32) with average number of pairs per round of ~0.32, compatible with our system overall detection efficiencies. Systems that violate a Bell inequality are guaranteed to generate pr…
Quantum random number generators (QRNGs) are able to generate numbers that are certifiably random, even to an agent who holds some side-information. Such systems typically require that the elements being used are precisely calibrated and validly certified for a credible security analysis. However, this can be experimentally challenging and result in potential side-channels which could compromise the security of the QRNG. In this work, we propose, design and experimentally demonstrate a QRNG protocol that completely removes the calibration requirement for the measurement device. Moreover, our p…
Expansion and amplification of weak randomness plays a crucial role in many security protocols. Using quantum devices, such procedure is possible even without trusting the devices used, by utilizing correlations between outcomes of parts of the devices. We show here how to extract random bits with an arbitrarily low bias from a single arbitrarily weak min-entropy source in a device independent setting. To do this we use Mermin devices that exhibit super-classical correlations. Number of devices used scales polynomially in the length of the random sequence $n$. Our protocol is robust, it can to…
The statistical properties of the fractional part of the random energy of a spectral component of black-body radiation have been analysed in the frame of classical Kolmogorovian probability theory. Besides the integer part of the energy (which satisfies the well-known Planck-Bose distribution), the realizations of its fractional part (related to 'round-off errors') has been represented by binary sequences, like z = 0.001011000010.... It has been shown that the binary variables realized by the 0-s and 1-s at different positions are independent. From the condition of independence the original di…
Randomness is a vital resource for modern day information processing, especially for cryptography. A wide range of applications critically rely on abundant, high quality random numbers generated securely. Here we show how to expand a random seed at an exponential rate without trusting the underlying quantum devices. Our approach is secure against the most general adversaries, and has the following new features: cryptographic level of security, tolerating a constant level of imprecision in the devices, requiring only a unit size quantum memory per device component for the honest implementation,…
We report upon a novel principle for realization of a fast nondeterministic random number generator whose randomness relies on intrinsic randomness of the quantum physical processes of photonic emission in semiconductors and subsequent detection by the photoelectric effect. Timing information of detected photons is used to generate binary random digits-bits. The bit extraction method based on restartable clock theoretically eliminates both bias and autocorrelation while reaching efficiency of almost 0.5 bits per random event. A prototype has been built and statistically tested.
Sequential weak measurements of non-commuting observables is not only fundamentally interesting in quantum measurement but also shown potential in various applications. The previous reported methods, however, can only realize limited sequential weak measurements experimentally. In this Letter, we propose the realization of sequential measurements of arbitrary observables and experimentally demonstrate for the first time the measurement of sequential weak values of three non-commuting Pauli observables by using genuine single photons. The results presented here will not only improve our underst…
We develop a framework for certifying randomness from Bell-test trials based on directly estimating the probability of the measurement outcomes with adaptive test supermartingales. The number of trials need not be predetermined, and one can stop performing trials early, as soon as the desired amount of randomness is extractable. It can be used with arbitrary, partially known and time-dependent probabilities for the random settings choices. Furthermore, it is suitable for application to experimental configurations with low Bell violation per trial, such as current optical loophole-free Bell tes…
Noise robustness of three outcome Bell certified quantum randomness
ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology（光子科学研究所，巴塞罗那科学技术学院）；Center for Theoretical Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences（波兰科学院理论物理中心）；Department of Algorithms and System Modeling, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdańsk University of Technology（格但斯克理工大学电子、电信与信息学院算法与系统建模系）；ICREA-Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats（加泰罗尼亚研究与高级研究学院）
We introduce a framework for graphical security proofs in device-independent quantum cryptography using the methods of categorical quantum mechanics. We are optimistic that this approach will make some of the highly complex proofs in quantum cryptography more accessible, facilitate the discovery of new proofs, and enable automated proof verification. As an example of our framework, we reprove a previous result from device-independent quantum cryptography: any linear randomness expansion protocol can be converted into an unbounded randomness expansion protocol. We give a graphical proof of this…
We present the realization of a physical quantum random number generator based on the process of splitting a beam of photons on a beam splitter, a quantum mechanical source of true randomness. By utilizing either a beam splitter or a polarizing beam splitter, single photon detectors and high speed electronics the presented devices are capable of generating a binary random signal with an autocorrelation time of 11.8 ns and a continuous stream of random numbers at a rate of 1 Mbit/s. The randomness of the generated signals and numbers is shown by running a series of tests upon data samples. The …
By testing the classical correlation violation between two systems, the random number can be expanded and certified without applying classical statistical method. In this work, we propose a new random number expansion protocol without entanglement, and the randomness can be guaranteed only by the 2-dimension quantum witness violation. Furthermore, we only assume that the dimensionality of the system used in the protocol has a tight bound, and the whole protocol can be regarded as a semi-device independent black-box scenario. Comparing with the device independent random number expansion protoco…
Random number generators (RNG) are an important resource in many areas: cryptography (both quantum and classical), probabilistic computation (Monte Carlo methods), numerical simulations, industrial testing and labeling, hazard games, scientific research, etc. Because today's computers are deterministic, they can not create random numbers unless complemented with a RNG. Randomness of a RNG can be precisely, scientifically characterized and measured. Especially valuable is the information-theoretic provable RNG (True RNG - TRNG) which, at state of the art, seem to be possible only by use of phys…
