光子芯片可加强智能手机加密
The chip uses pulses of laser light to generate truly random numbers, the basis of encryption. Christopher Intagliata reports.
据克里斯托弗·因塔利亚塔（Christopher Intagliata）报道，芯片通过使用激光脉冲可生成真正的随机数，它是加密的基础。
撰文/播音：克里斯托弗·因塔利亚塔（Christopher Intagliata）
翻译：杨枭
审校：丁可含
Random numbers are hugely important for modern computing. They're used to encrypt credit card numbers and emails. To inject randomness into online gaming. And to simulate super complex phenomena, like protein folding or nuclear fission.
随机数对现代计算非常重要。他们被用于加密信用卡号和电子邮件，将随机性引入线上游戏，还可以模拟超复杂现象，如蛋白质折叠或核裂变。
But here's the dirty secret: a lot of these so-called random numbers are not truly random. They're actually what’s known as "pseudo random numbers," generated by algorithms. Think of generating random numbers by rolling dice. If you know the number of dice, it’s simple to figure out something about the realm of possible random numbers—thus putting probabilistic limits on the randomness.
但这里有个不可告人的秘密：很多这些所谓的随机数不是真正随机的。它们实际上是所谓的“伪随机数”，由算法生成。想想通过掷骰子生成随机数。如果知道骰子上的数，那么你很容易找出可能的随机数数域，因此随机性受概率的限制。
But truly random numbers can be generated through quantum mechanical processes. So researchers built a photonic chip—a computer chip that uses photons instead of electrons. The chip has two lasers: one shoots continuously; the other pulses at regular intervals. Each time the two lasers meet, the interference between the light beams is random, thanks to the rules of quantum mechanics. The chip then digitizes that random signal, and voila: a quantum random number generator. The study is in the journal Optica. [Carlos Abellan et al., Quantum entropy source on an InP photonic integrated circuit for random number generation]
但真正的随机数可以通过量子力学过程产生。因此，研究人员制造了一个光子芯片——一种使用光子而不是电子的计算机芯片。芯片有两个激光器：一个连续射出；另一个规则地发射周期间隔的脉冲。每次两束激光相遇时，由于量子力学的规律，光束之间的干涉是随机的。接下来芯片对该随机信号进行数字化，瞧，那就制造了量子随机数发生器。这项研究发表在杂志Optica。
It's not the first time this sort of thing's been built. But compared to old prototypes, this chip is much smaller—a sixth the size of a penny—and works at high speeds. Meaning small and fast enough for a smartphone? The researchers say that's an entirely predictable outcome.
这不是第一次制造了。但与过去相比，这个芯片小得多——它只有一分钱的六分之一大小，并且高速运作。对于智能手机来说足够小和快么？研究人员说，这将是一个完全可预测的结果。
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京ICP备11000850号-1
京公网安备11010502039775号 信息网络传播视听节目许可证0111611号
国家科技基础条件平台