One Trillion True Random Bits Generated with a Field Programmable Gate Array Actuated Magnetic Tunnel Junction

Abstract

Large quantities of random numbers are crucial in a wide range of applications. We have recently demonstrated that perpendicular nanopillar magnetic tunnel junctions (pMTJs) can produce true random bits when actuated with short pulses. However, our implementation used high-end and expensive electronics, such as a high bandwidth arbitrary waveform generator and analog-to-digital converter, and was limited to relatively low data rates. Here, we significantly increase the speed of true random number generation (TRNG) of our stochastic actuated pMTJs (SMART-pMTJs) using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), demonstrating the generation of over $10^{12}$ bits at rates exceeding 10Mb/s. The resulting bitstreams pass the NIST Statistical Test Suite for randomness with only one XOR operation. In addition to a hundred-fold reduction in the setup cost and a thousand-fold increase in bitrate, the advancement includes simplifying and optimizing random bit generation with a custom-designed analog daughter board to interface an FPGA and SMART-pMTJ. The resulting setup further enables FPGA at-speed processing of MTJ data for stochastic modeling and cryptography.

arXiv comment4 pages, 5 figures

References in corpus (6)

• Quantum Random Number Generators
• Low-Energy Truly Random Number Generation with Superparamagnetic Tunnel Junctions for Unconventional Computing
• Demonstration of nanosecond operation in stochastic magnetic tunnel junctions
• Subnanosecond Fluctuations in Low-Barrier Nanomagnets
• Stochastic magnetic actuated random transducer devices based on perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions
• Thermal effects in spin torque switching of perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions at cryogenic temperatures

Cited by in corpus (5)

• High-Speed Tunable Generation of Random Number Distributions Using Actuated Perpendicular Magnetic Tunnel Junctions
• Engineering-Oriented Design of Drift-Resilient MTJ Random Number Generator via Hybrid Control Strategies
• Magnetic tunnel junction as a real-time entropy source: Field-Programmable Gate Array based random bit generation without post-processing
• Tunable Random Telegraph Noise in Stable Perpendicular Magnetic Tunnel Junctions for Unconventional Computing
• Superparamagnetic and Stochastic-Write Magnetic Tunnel Junctions for High-Speed True Random Number Generation in Advanced Computing