An essay in Applied Physics Letters recently revealed that the research by Zhejiang University and the scientific research team led by quantum physicist Pan Jianwei has resulted in the world's fastest Quantum random number generators (QRNGs) with a record real-time output rate as high as 18.8 Gbps.

This has laid a solid technical foundation for the development of a low-cost commercial-use single chip of QRNG.

Random number, an important basic resource, is widely used in fields such as information security, cryptography, scientific simulation, and other real-world applications. Additionally, QRNGs, core devices in quantum communication systems, can produce true random numbers that are unpredictable, irreproducible, and unbiased, which are guaranteed by the basic principle of quantum physics.

The research team has been carrying out systematic research related to the practical design of QRNGs for quite some time, yielding impressive results.

For practical use, the most important parameters of QRNGs are real-time output speed and module size.

The research team has developed a high-speed quantum random number generation scheme that fits well with theoretical predictions on the QRNG scheme of vacuum state fluctuations. In addition, in cooperation with ZJU, the real-time generation rate of quantum random number generators has been greatly improved and a high level of integration has been achieved. 

After transmission tests, the final real-time rate of the quantum random number generator system reached a world record of 18.8Gbps.

Pan Jianwei, a renowned physicist, professor, and managing vice-president of the University of Science and Technology of China and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), was born on March 11, 1970 in Dongyang, a county-level city administered by Jinhua.

Dubbed China's "father of quantum", Pan and his team achieved groundbreaking results in the Micius quantum science experimental satellite and Jiuzhang, the world's first light-based quantum computer, during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20).