Essay Abstract

The fundamental link between physics and computation leads to an exciting field of quantum computation. Since the birth of the programmable digital computer, random number generators in computers have been developed. In principle, the pseudo random number generators currently implemented in digital computers are predictable. However, a quantum random number generator is employed to ideally generate unpredictable random numbers. In this essay, we explain why a one-qubit quantum computer can be a quantum random number generator and how this leads to justifying the foundations of quantum mechanics.

Author Bio

Yutaka Shikano was born in Yokohama, Japan in 1984. He graduated from Tokyo Institute of Technology with B.Sc. (Hons) (2007), M.Sc. (2009), and D.Sc. (2011) in physics. He became a research associate professor at Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences between 2012 - 2017, a project associate professor at Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo between 2017 - 2018, and at Quantum Computing Center, Keio University since 2018. He is also the affiliated member at Institute for Quantum Studies, Chapman University.

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Dear Yutaka,

Your essay was interesting. I'm still a novice when it comes to quantum computing, so I'll have to read your essay again and again.

Have you heard of people using their smoke detector's radioactive nature to get random numbers? :)

- Shawn

    Dear Shawn,

    Thank you so much for your comment and suggestion. I have already known that radioactive nature is used as quantum random number generator.

    Best wishes,

    Yutaka

    Dear Yutaka,

    Have you ever tried the programming language "Q#"?

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/quantum/language/

    - Shawn

    Dear Yutaka

    Thank you for your nice introduction to quantum computers and qubits. There are many interesting applications like truly random number generator etc., But why there was no such quantum computer was made till date.......???

      Dear Shawn,

      Our methodrology how to extract out hardware? information via the random number generation such as https://arxiv.org/abs/1906.04410 seems to be universal. Therefore, any quantum computers can use our methods.

      However, up to now, we have not yet tried the implementation by Q#. But, the programming is too simple in our methods.

      Best wishes,

      Yutaka

      Dear Satyavaraou,

      Thank you so much for reading my essay. I think that your question why there was no such quantum computer was made till date is good. Honestly speaking, I do not know it. Quantum random number generation is usually implemented by quantum photonics as seen in two good reviews https://www.nature.com/articles/npjqi201621 and https://journals.aps.org/rmp/abstract/10.1103/RevModPhys.89.015004 . This can be taken as the specific implementation of one-qubit quantum device. However, almost all implementations are not universal in the sense of computation. To inspire the quantum-originated application such like your question, I wrote this essay.

      Best wishes,

      Yutaka

      Dear Prof. Shikano, thank you for this well-written essay on random number generators. I have just maybe a comment when you speak of the certification of randomness using Bell's tests, you add: "However, for any randomness expansion protocols, a one-bit random seed is required." In fact, I think that you need less than a bit, anthough always an initial random element is needed. Recent results [Colbeck, R. and Renner, R., (2012). Free randomness can be amplified. Nature Physics, 8(6), 450.; Pütz, G., Rosset, D., Barnea, T.J., Liang, Y.C. and Gisin, N. (2014). Arbitrarily small amount of measurement independence is sufficient to manifest quantum nonlocality. Physical Review Letters, 113(19), 190402] showed that it is not even necessary to have a single genuinely random bit from the outset, but it is sufficient to introduce an arbitrarily small amount of initial randomness (i.e., of measurement independence) to generate virtually unbounded randomness.

      In my essay I also describe new ideas on classical randomness (an argument developed together with Gisin) and I think this could be of interest for you.

      I wish you the best for the contest, high rate from my side!

      Flavio

        Dear Flavio,

        Thank you so much for your critical comments.

        > In fact, I think that you need less than a bit, anthough always an initial random element is needed.

        That's true. However, we still need an initial RANDOM element. Therefore, for the ultimate security purpose, it is not enough for "unpredictable" random number generator.

        I will definitely read your essay. I am looking forward to reading your essay.

        Best wishes,

        Yutaka

        8 days later

        Prof. Shikano,

        You are perhaps young enough as to not be familiar with a once popular decorative lighting fixture generally referred to as a "Lava Lamp". I have occasionally wondered whether they might present a sort of hybrid of both classical and quantum predictability. Design-wise, they are a simple transparent vessel shaped a bit like the chimney of a kerosene lantern but tapering to a rounded closed upper end; filled with a transparent viscous liquid and a viscous colored inclusion that does not mix with the medium. A high intensity light producing a large amount of heat in the base section results in a thermodynamic response by the colored inclusion which forms blobs of gel which rise in the vessel til they cool at the upper end enough to descend. Usually this process produces a variety of number and sizes of colorful blobs constantly changing in shapes and rising and falling to become recombined in a blob being heated at the base section.

        Just one would produce a random continuous function which would be complex enough to challenge any classical prediction algorithm. A shelf of 8 lamps would provide a byte of encryption and 8 such shelves would provide a 64 bit 'chessboard' of Time Sync scans of random size-shapes. Would that be in any way physically unpredictable to a degree to be an 'ideally' random number generator? Cordially, jrc

          Lava Lamp video

          youtube.com/watch?/v=L7QQh5lq0

          22 days later

          Thank you so much for providing your paper. Sorry for the late reply. Your chaotic RNG result is interesting. However, this can be in principle predictable.

          Dear John,

          First of all, thank you so much for reading my essay article. Sorry for the late reply to your message.

          It is good to hear about your suggestion on "Lava Lamp" as the hybrid quantum-classical random number generator. Surely, there are several approaches to build up the "unpredictable" random number generator. This approach is one of them. As the criticism of your suggestion, the basic assumptions are unclear. The physical motion of the lump element of "Lava Lamp" seems to be classically determined. On the other hand, the lumping behavior relies on quantum mechanics. However, nobody have not yet guaranteed that quantum mechanics is the final theory to explain the Natural phenomena. Therefore, we have not yet known whether the probabilistic structure need to explain our physical behaviors or not. This studies lead to provide a new insight on such understanding of Nature.

          Best wishes,

          Yutaka

          The reference [20] is updated.

          [20] Y. Shikano, K. Tamura, and R. Raymond, Detecting Temporal Correlation via Quantum Random Number Generation, Electronic Proceedings in Theoretical Computer Science 315, 18 - 25 (2020).

          The line is available from http://dx.doi.org/10.4204/EPTCS.315.2.

          6 days later

          Dear Yutaka,

          You are exactly correct in saying quantum computers are difficult to realize. Thank you for the reference that there is a "one Qubit" computer, I will try to get that paper.

          I hope you will have some CRITICAL examination of my essay... "A properly deciding, Computing and Predicting new theory's Philosophy".....

          Best

          =snp

          5 days later

          Dear Satyavaraou,

          Thank you so much for sharing your essay. I will read it.

          Best wishes,

          Yutaka

          8 days later

          In 2011, D-Wave Systems released the D-Wave One as they claimed to be the first commercially available quantum computer in the world. In 2012, they claimed a quantum computer using 84 qubits. In 2015, they claimed a quantum computer using 1000 qubit. In 2017, they released the D-Wave 2000Q邃｢ (2000 qubits quantum computer).

          Dear Agus H Budiyanto,

          Thank you so much for pointing out the D-Wave machines, which are often called quantum annealer. On the definition of quantum computer, I do not want to discuss this topics in the community but would like to define this terminology in my essay. The quantum computation in my essay is defined as the Turing universal machine. The gate-based quantum computation mentioned in my essay is true. However, quantum annealer is not yet known up to now. Therefore, D-Wave machines did not be discussed in my essay.

          Best wishes,

          Yutaka

          Dear Professor Yutaka Shikano

          Thank you for reading my essay and for well thought comments.

          I will supplement any doubts / questions, no problems...

          I was working on this Dynamic Universe Model for the last forty years under the guidance given by Maa VAK (She is Hindu Goddess Saraswathi for wisdom and education). Almost all papers are important, all results are important, many predictions came true. I dont know which result to elaborate, For example...

          -Explains Formation of Astronomical Jets and their high Velocities at Galaxy centers..... The particles traveling parallel to plane of Galaxy suddenly they turn perpendicular at Galaxy center !

          -Predicts Frequency shift in electro-magnetic radiation near huge gravitating masses .... this is in addition to bending of light as predicted by Einstein !!

          -Galaxy Disk formation: Densemass Equations ..... There is no requirement of Blackholes!!

          -Explains gravity disturbances like Pioneer anomaly,.... Until now we considered a single body (eg. Earth) gravitation on another (apple) only.This SITA approach solves the Gravitational catapult !

          -Non-collapsing large scale mass structures .... They dont fall a single lump mass dueto gravitation !

          -Offers Singularity free solutions ...... No Bigbang, No blackholes !!

          -Solving Missing mass in Galaxies, and finds reason for Galaxy circular velocity curves.... ... NO MISSING MASS if you calculate using SITA approach !

          -Blue shifted and red shifted Galaxies co-existence, in an Accelerating Expanding Universe...... 30% are blue shifted Galaxies !

          -Explains the large voids and non-uniform matter densities.... UNIFORM density is not observed

          -Withstands 105 times the Normal Jeans swindle test.... other N-body problems fail at at 1% of any position disturbance

          -Explains VLBI variations.... Other wise very difficult

          - Explains energy to mass conversion....... Energy --->Frequency upshifting --> mass

          -Explains Cosmic-rays formation with the same SITA approach, origins of Cosmic Rays expalined

          - Proposed an UNIVERSE model with full cycle of Energy (from Sun)--- to Mass( neutrinos to Hydrogen- to formation of various elements) ---- to formation of Stars and Sun ---- to Energy again---- NO BIGBANG --- No Blackholes etc...

          I can not just explain 40 years of research done in just 9 page essay, I just gave main points.... I am sorry ....

          I just rated your essay now much better than above average, now your is rating is 5.3. Best wishes to your essay

          Please contact me " snp.gupta@gmail.com "

          Warm regards

          =snp