Random number generation has seen its fair share of innovations over the past few years. More recently, perovskite LEDs and quantum photonic chips have been hailed as the next generation for randomness. So, let’s take a look at where random number generation is utilized, and how these innovations might impact their performance.
Put simply, random number generators (RNGs) produce a random sequence of numbers that cannot be predetermined. With this in mind, it is typically applied in two distinct ways – to mirror the element of luck or chance, and to make data more secure.
Take online casinos, for example. In a game like roulette, a croupier spins the wheel, and the ball will naturally land on one of the numbers. To mimic this online, offerings like Betfair roulette can use RNGs to determine where the digital ball will land on the board, ensuring that the game is authentic, fair, and, of course, totally random.
Further to this, whenever profiles are set up or payments are made, card numbers, date of births, and other identifying data can be encrypted using RNGs. This means that only the people who should be able to see this information can access it – and anyone without the necessary permissions will see a sequence of numbers that cannot be decoded.
As such, RNGs can already be leveraged in a wide variety of industries for both entertainment and security purposes. That said, there is a consistent effort to continue making RNGs as random as possible. Enter the next generation of RNGs, which utilize innovations like perovskite light-emitting diodes and quantum photonic chips.
Perovskite, which is a mineral that is made up of mainly calcium titanate, has been widely researched over the last decade, becoming known for being a clean and cost-effective alternative to similar materials. In fact, research by the University of Rochester found that, when incorporated into traditional silicon solar cells, perovskite increased the performance of the cell by 250%, paving the way for new solar renewable energy technologies.
“Perovskite tin solar cell” (CC BY 2.0) by University of Oxford Press Office
Researchers at Linköping University applied this to quantum RNG machines by employing perovskite LEDs to emit the initial energy. With this simple change, RNGs could become more environmentally friendly and less costly over the next few years. That said, researchers first must eliminate lead from the mineral composition to reliably extend the LEDs’ lifetime beyond three weeks.
Elsewhere, it has been reported that the German Ministry for Research and Education (BMBF) has funded a CBQD project to assist Fraunhofer IPMS in creating a fully integrated high-speed quantum photonic chip. It is their hope to create a quantum photonic chip that possesses a noise bit rate of 5 gigabits per second.
The chip will use silicon-germanium to create electrophotonic integrated circuits. This will be fully integrated into a solution featuring a laser source, photodiodes, and signal processors. Though a comprehensive solution, the design of the chip will be as compact as possible, allowing for a wide variety of complex applications, quicker processing speeds, and increased cryptosecurity.
With innovations such as perovskite LEDs and quantum photonic chips, there is a clear pivot towards making RNGs more efficient, sustainable, reliable, comprehensive, and environmentally friendly, as well as lower cost, smaller in size, and quicker to use. As such, RNGs could reach a new level of true randomness in the future.