Security Evaluation of Laser-Phase-Noise Quantum Random Number Generators with Intrinsic Correlations

Abstract

Quantum random number generators are essential for achieving information-theoretical security in modern cryptographic systems. Among various implementations, laser phase noise schemes are widely favored for their simple architecture and high integration potential. However, the intrinsic correlations in the raw data are often neglected, which violates the independent and identically distributed assumption and potentially compromises system security. In this work, we establish an analytical model of correlation and formulate an analytical expression for the conditional min-entropy in the presence of intrinsic correlations to accurately quantify the genuinely extractable randomness. The validity of our theoretical model is confirmed by numerical simulations and experimental results, exhibiting excellent agreement. Under typical setups it is shown that neglecting intrinsic correlations leads to an overestimation of extractable randomness by approximately 46%. This work provides a valuable theoretical framework for designing compact, high-performance quantum random number generators with rigorous security analysis.