Micro-LEDs boost random number generation

Can someone explain to me how this is different than a simple noise generator based on a PN junction? As in, isn't this just amplifying noise and aren't there less sensational ways of doing nearly the same thing? Does measuring a photon with this method actually get you better randomness? I have some serious gaps in my understanding here and an ELI5 would be neat.

Measuring photons in this manner gives you the best randomness. It is effectively a quantum technique. A PN junction is (mostly) classical.

The specific mechanism is mentioned in the article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_emission

> Although there is only one electronic transition from the excited state to ground state, there are many ways in which the electromagnetic field may go from the ground state to a one-photon state. That is, the electromagnetic field has infinitely more degrees of freedom, corresponding to the different directions in which the photon can be emitted. Equivalently, one might say that the phase space offered by the electromagnetic field is infinitely larger than that offered by the atom. This infinite degree of freedom for the emission of the photon results in the apparent irreversible decay, i.e., spontaneous emission.

The question is whether quantum mechanical noise could have a conceivable advantage over classical noise. I strongly suspect: no. Classical noise is already factually unpredictable, so the theoretical unpredictability (assuming no hidden variable theories I guess) of quantum noise doesn't add anything.

Classical noise is only unpredictable if you are lacking the necessary physical information to make an accurate prediction. Otherwise, it is always predictable.

Quantum noise is not based in any kind of physical information in the same way. It is intrinsically random. The "randomness" isn't merely a side effect of a bunch of physical phenomena. You cannot compromise a QRNG even if you had perfect knowledge of the state of every particle in the system over time.

https://www.jpmorgan.com/technology/technology-blog/certifie...