Certified randomness using a trapped-ion quantum processor
Abstract
Abstract Although quantum computers can perform a wide range of practically important tasks beyond the abilities of classical computers1,2, realizing this potential remains a challenge. An example is to use an untrusted remote device to generate random bits that can be certified to contain a certain amount of entropy3. Certified randomness has many applications but is impossible to achieve solely by classical computation. Here we demonstrate the generation of certifiably random bits using the 56-qubit Quantinuum H2-1 trapped-ion quantum computer accessed over the Internet. Our protocol leverages the classical hardness of recent random circuit sampling demonstrations4,5: a client generates quantum ‘challenge’ circuits using a small randomness seed, sends them to an untrusted quantum server to execute and verifies the results of the server. We analyse the security of our protocol against a restricted class of realistic near-term adversaries. Using classical verification with measured combined sustained performance of 1.1 × 1018 floating-point operations per second across multiple supercomputers, we certify 71,313 bits of entropy under this restricted adversary and additional assumptions. Our results demonstrate a step towards the practical applicability of present-day quantum computers.
Article Details
Authors (32)
Minzhao Liu
Ruslan Shaydulin
Pradeep Niroula
Matthew DeCross
Shih-Han Hung
Wen Yu Kon
Enrique Cervero-Martín
Kaushik Chakraborty
Omar Amer
Scott Aaronson
Atithi Acharya
Yuri Alexeev
K. Jordan Berg
Shouvanik Chakrabarti
Florian J. Curchod
Joan M. Dreiling
Neal Erickson
Cameron Foltz
Michael Foss-Feig
David Hayes
Travis S. Humble
Niraj Kumar
Jeffrey Larson
Danylo Lykov
Michael Mills
Steven A. Moses
Brian Neyenhuis
Shaltiel Eloul
Peter Siegfried
James Walker
Charles Lim
Marco Pistoia