A 2-Gbps low-SWaP quantum random number generator with photonic integrated circuits for satellite applications

This project looks at designing and testing a small, light, low‑power quantum random number generator (QRNG) that uses integrated photonic asymmetric Mach‑Zehnder interferometers (AMZIs) made for satellites with limited resources. The design takes advantage of the phase‑diffusion behavior of two gain‑switched semiconductor lasers. Their light is combined in separate on‑chip AMZIs to produce quantum randomness. To keep power use low and the hardware simple, high‑resolution analog‑to‑digital converters are swapped out for clocked comparators that digitize the signal. The digital outputs from the two channels are then XORed, which reduces post‑processing effort while preserving high‑quality entropy. The system can generate up to 2 Gbps of random bits and consumes about 7.93

W total, covering both the opto‑electronic components and the FPGA‑based control logic. It also demonstrates real‑time seeding for free‑space decoy‑state quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. Finally, the work provides a step‑by‑step method for simulating, modeling, and evaluating integrated photonic QRNGs, giving a practical framework for secure quantum communication links in space.

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