Regulation and control method of true random number generator based on atomic point contact

Abstract

The invention provides a method for regulating and controlling a true random number generator based on atomic point contact, which comprises the following steps of: clamping a two-dimensional material with a layered structure between an active metal electrode and an inert metal electrode, and migrating active metal ions on one side of the active metal electrode along a limited channel under the action of an external electric field to form atomic point contact, so that the true random number is generated. Then, perturbation voltage is applied, so that atoms or ions in atomic point contact are subjected to random thermal activation transition among unstable sites, random telegraph noise is generated, and the random telegraph noise is converted into a binary true random sequence; and then negative scanning voltage is applied to one side of the active metal electrode, so that device reconstruction can be realized. According to the invention, dynamic regulation and control of atomic point contact can be realized through an electric field, so that diversified random output can be obtained under different conductivity states, random telegraph noise signals drifting or disappearing due to long-term operation can be effectively recovered, and the service life of the device can be prolonged.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of micro-nano electronic devices and information security, more particularly to a regulation method of a true random number generator based on atomic point contact. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid development of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the demand for secure transmission and storage of massive data is growing. As a core element of encryption technology, the unpredictability and randomness of random numbers directly determine the overall security level of the encryption system. Currently, the mainstream encryption system generally relies on software-based Pseudo Random Number Generator (PRNG) to expand the limited initial seed into an encryption key through a deterministic mathematical algorithm. However, due to the inherent predictability of PRNG, it is facing severe challenges from new attack methods such as machine learning, leading to increasing risks of key cracking and data leakage. Therefore, improving the essential unpredictability of the key has become a key to ensuring secure data transmission and storage.

[0003] Unlike PRNG, True Random Number Generator (TRNG) generates essentially unpredictable random numbers by utilizing the inherent physical random process of the device (such as thermal noise, random telegraph noise, etc.), providing an effective path to crack the predictability of PRNG, which is of great significance to ensuring security during data transmission and storage. However, existing TRNGs have the problems of being difficult to miniaturize and limited randomness, making it difficult to meet the demand for high-security encryption of chips and portable devices. SUMMARY

[0004] In view of the above problems, the purpose of the present application is to provide a regulation method of a true random number generator based on atomic point contact to solve the problems of existing true random number generators that are difficult to miniaturize and have limited randomness.

[0005] The present application provides a regulation method of a true random number generator based on atomic point contact, which is prepared by the following method: S110: sequentially forming a bottom electrode layer, a dielectric layer and a top electrode layer from bottom to top on a substrate; wherein one of the bottom electrode layer and the top electrode layer is an inert metal electrode, and the other is an active metal electrode, and the dielectric layer is a two-dimensional material layer; S120: Apply a positive voltage to one side of the active metal electrode and ground the other side of the active metal electrode, so that the active metal ions generated on one side of the active metal electrode migrate to the two-dimensional material layer under the action of the electric field, and form atomic point contacts with quantum conductivity effect in the two-dimensional material layer. The control method includes the following steps: S210: A perturbation voltage is applied to one side of the active metal electrode of the true random number generator of the atomic point contact to drive the metal atoms or ions in the atomic point contact to perform random thermally activated transitions between unstable sites, generating a random telegraph noise signal; wherein, the random telegraph noise signal is manifested as random jumps in current or conductance between two or more discrete values, and the timing and duration of the jumps are unpredictable. S220: During the application of the perturbation voltage, the random telegraph noise signal is acquired at a preset sampling frequency; S230: Converts the collected random telegraph noise signal into a binary random number sequence through a preset software algorithm; S240: A negative scanning voltage is applied to one side of the active metal electrode, while the other side is grounded, so as to oxidize the metal atoms that form atomic point contacts into metal ions again, and migrate to the active metal electrode side under the action of electric field, thereby breaking the atomic point contacts and realizing the reconstruction of the device.

[0006] Alternatively, the perturbation voltage can be a DC voltage with an amplitude in the range of 0.01V to 0.1V; the perturbation voltage can be used to adjust the potential barrier height of the metal atom or ion randomly jumping between two unstable sites, so that the probability of the metal atom or ion staying at the two unstable sites tends to be the same.

[0007] Alternatively, an alternative approach is to use software algorithms to convert the collected random telegraph noise signal into a binary random number sequence, including: S231: Dynamically determine the high and low level thresholds of the random telegraph noise signal; S232: Convert the random telegraph noise signal into a binary state sequence according to the threshold, and identify the transition time of the binary state sequence; S233: Calculate the time interval between adjacent transition moments in the transition moments of the binary state sequence, and convert the time interval into a microsecond integer; S234: Extract the last two bits of the microsecond integer and generate a binary random bit stream based on their parity.

[0008] Alternatively, the high and low level thresholds of the random telegraph noise signal can be dynamically determined using KMeans clustering or the maximum gap method based on histograms.

[0009] Alternatively, steps S210 to S230 can be repeated to obtain different true random sequences under different conductance states.

[0010] On the other hand, the present invention also provides an application of the control method of a true random number generator based on atomic point contact, which applies the aforementioned control method of a true random number generator based on atomic point contact to data encryption, key generation, and identity authentication.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Utilizing the random thermally activated transition process of metal atoms or ions between unstable sites in atomic point contacts as a physical entropy source for generating unpredictable random numbers, combined with precise voltage control, a random telegraph noise signal with uniform high and low level distribution is generated. Furthermore, a unique random number extraction algorithm is employed, significantly improving the inherent unpredictability of random numbers. This method is suitable for information security fields such as key generation, data encryption, and identity authentication, and has significant application value and development prospects for realizing highly secure and miniaturized information encryption systems.

[0012] 2. The device has a simple structure, is easy to miniaturize, and can be widely used in systems-on-a-chip and portable devices; 3. The device is reconfigurable, allowing for multiple reconstructions of atomic point contacts, extending device lifespan and enhancing its application flexibility.

[0013] To achieve the foregoing and related objectives, one or more aspects of the invention include the features which will be described in detail below and specifically pointed out in the claims. The following description and accompanying drawings illustrate certain exemplary aspects of the invention. However, these aspects indicate only a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention can be used. Furthermore, the invention is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Other objects and results of the invention will become more apparent and readily understood with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the contents of the claims, and with a more complete understanding of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the preparation method of a true random number generator based on atomic point contact according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a true random number generator based on atomic point contact constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the mechanism by which the generator generates random telegraph noise signals; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 The current-voltage (IV) characteristic curve and conductance-voltage (GV) curve of the true random number generator based on atomic point contact constructed according to the embodiments of the present invention are shown. Figure 5 The image shows the random telegraph noise signal of the true random number generator based on atomic point contact constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention under a constant voltage of 0.03V. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the extraction of random numbers from random telegraph noise signals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals indicate similar or corresponding features or functions. Detailed Implementation

[0016] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth for illustrative purposes and to provide a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. However, it will be apparent that these embodiments may also be implemented without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form for ease of description of one or more embodiments.

[0017] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. The terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Furthermore, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0018] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the terms "described" and "the" as used in this invention may be in the singular or plural form. It should be further understood that the term "comprising" as used in this specification means the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. It should be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more associated listed items. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless defined as herein.

[0019] To address the aforementioned problems of miniaturization and limited randomness in existing true random number generators, this invention provides a novel method for preparing and controlling a true random number generator based on atomic point contact.

[0020] Atomic point contacts refer to narrow contact regions formed by one or more atoms between two electrodes. They possess characteristics such as simple structure, reconfigurability, and quantum conductivity effects, making them an important platform for developing atomic-level devices. During the research process, the applicant realized that in atomic point contacts, random thermally activated transitions of atoms or ions between energy potential wells induce random quantum fluctuations in conductivity, specifically manifested as discrete random telegraph noise signals.

[0021] Figure 1 The following is a flowchart illustrating a method for preparing a true random number generator based on atomic point contact according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This paper illustrates a true random number generator based on atomic point contact constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the mechanism by which this generator generates random telegraph noise signals. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the accompanying drawings, the fabrication method of the true random number generator based on atomic point contacts provided in this embodiment mainly includes two parts: device fabrication and pressure activation. The method will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, the method for preparing a true random number generator based on atomic point contact provided in this embodiment mainly includes the following two steps: S110: A bottom electrode layer, a dielectric layer, and a top electrode layer are formed sequentially from bottom to top on a substrate to construct a vertical sandwich structure; wherein, in the bottom electrode layer and the top electrode layer, one is an inert metal electrode and the other is an active metal electrode, and the dielectric layer is a two-dimensional material layer. S120: Apply a positive voltage to one side of the active metal electrode and ground the other side of the active metal electrode, so that the active metal ions generated on one side of the active metal electrode migrate to the two-dimensional material layer under the action of the electric field, forming atomic point contacts with quantum conductivity effect in the two-dimensional material layer.

[0023] Step S110 is the device fabrication part, and step S120 is the pressure activation part. The device fabrication part is used to fabricate a vertical sandwich structure for constructing a true random number generator. Specifically, the vertical sandwich structure consists of a bottom electrode layer, a dielectric layer, and a top electrode layer from bottom to top. One of the bottom electrode layer and the top electrode layer is an active metal electrode, and the other electrode layer is an inert metal electrode. The dielectric layer is a two-dimensional material with a layered structure, providing a confined and controllable channel for the migration of active metal ions.

[0024] In the fabrication of a true random number generator based on atomic point contacts, one or more materials selected from ITO, Au, Pt, Pd, and graphite can be used as the inert metal electrode material; one or more materials selected from Ni, Ag, Cu, Al, and Zn can be used as the active metal electrode material; and one or more materials selected from graphene, transition metal chalcogenides, black phosphorus, MXene, and boron nitride can be used as the dielectric layer material. Both the inert metal electrode and the active metal electrode have conductive properties and a thickness of 30-100 nm; the dielectric layer has insulating properties and a thickness of 10-100 nm.

[0025] Specifically, an example of fabricating a true random number generator based on atomic point contacts is as follows: This example uses a silicon wafer as a substrate. The bottom electrode is made of inert metal Au with a thickness of 30 nm; the dielectric layer is made of MoS2 with a thickness of 10–100 nm; and the top electrode is made of active metal Ag with a thickness of 50 nm. The specific fabrication steps include: 1. Substrate cleaning: The SiO2 / Si substrate was placed in acetone, anhydrous ethanol and deionized water in sequence, and ultrasonically cleaned for 10 minutes each. Then, it was dried with nitrogen to ensure that the substrate surface was clean. 2. Spin coating: Photoresist LOR3A and S1805 are spin-coated sequentially on a SiO2 / Si substrate, and then baked at 170℃ and 105℃ for 60s respectively to obtain a double-layer photoresist structure. 3. Exposure and Development: The SiO2 / Si substrate with a double-layer photoresist structure was exposed using ultraviolet lithography. The distance between the photomask and the substrate was set to 50 μm, and the exposure time was 5 s. After exposure, the substrate was immersed in ZX-238 developer for 45 s, then rinsed with deionized water and dried with nitrogen to obtain the desired pattern. 4. Metal deposition: On the surface of the developed substrate, a 5 nm Ti thin film and a 30 nm Au thin film are sequentially deposited by electron beam evaporation to form the bottom electrode; 5. Photoresist removal: After metal deposition, the substrate is immersed in NMP solvent to remove excess metal and photoresist, leaving only the bottom electrode of the desired pattern area. 6. Using a mechanical exfoliation method, a two-dimensional material MoS2 with a thickness of 10-100 nm is transferred onto the bottom electrode using thermally released adhesive tape as a dielectric layer; 7. Repeat the above processes of spin coating, exposure, development, metal deposition and resist removal to prepare a top electrode Ag on the surface of the two-dimensional material. The Ag film thickness is 50 nm, and the prepared electrode has a crossbar structure with a linewidth of 5 μm.

[0026] The true random number generator prepared by the above method has a dielectric layer in which active metal ions can migrate in a controllable manner, thereby constructing an atomic point contact structure, and the migration exhibits a discontinuous quantized state.

[0027] Therefore, in the pressure activation section of step S120, by applying a positive voltage to one side of the active metal electrode and grounding the other side of the active metal electrode, the active metal ions generated on one side of the active metal electrode migrate to the two-dimensional material layer under the action of the applied electric field, and form atomic point contacts with quantum conductivity effects in the two-dimensional material layer along the confined channels provided by the two-dimensional material layer. Subsequently, by applying a perturbation voltage, atoms or ions in the atomic point contacts can undergo random thermal activation transitions between unstable sites, generating random telegraph noise, which can then be used to generate binary true random number sequences.

[0028] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the positive voltage is applied as a scanning voltage with a step size between 0.1mV and 0.5mV to achieve fine adjustment of the size, shape, and atomic distribution of the atomic point contact structure, thereby optimizing its stability and controllability as a true random number entropy source.

[0029] Because the device structure is Ag / MoS2 / Au, when a positive voltage is applied, a positive voltage is applied from the Ag electrode side, thereby oxidizing the Ag atoms in the Ag electrode to Ag. +Ions migrate into the MoS2 dielectric layer under the influence of a positive electric field, gain electrons on the Au electrode side, and are reduced to Ag atoms; finally, Ag atom point contacts are formed in MoS2 to connect the bottom electrode and the top electrode.

[0030] Furthermore, since the atomic point contacts are one-dimensional conductive nanochannels composed of a few metal atoms, their conductivity depends on the atomic position distribution. Excessive forward scanning voltage step size can easily cause atomic migration or structural instability, leading to fluctuations in the entropy source output. Therefore, in this embodiment, the step size is controlled between 0.1 mV and 0.5 mV to gradually adjust the atomic positions under a small energy gradient, forming a stable structure. Under a constant perturbation voltage, this structure can stably activate individual metal atoms or ions to transition between two unstable sites, thereby maintaining the long-term stable performance of the entropy source.

[0031] Figure 3 The flowchart illustrates a control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the method for controlling a true random number generator based on atomic point contact provided in this embodiment controls the prepared true random number generator based on atomic point contact to obtain true random numbers. The control method includes the following steps: First, in step S210, a perturbation voltage is applied to one side of the active metal electrode of the true random number generator of the atomic point contact to drive the metal atoms or ions in the atomic point contact to perform random thermal activation transitions between unstable sites, generating a random telegraph noise signal; wherein the random telegraph noise signal is manifested as random jumps of current or conductance between two or more discrete values, and the timing and duration of the jumps are unpredictable.

[0032] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the perturbation voltage is a constant DC voltage, which can be a positive voltage or a negative voltage, and its amplitude is preferably between 0.01V and 0.1V. This voltage can precisely control the potential barrier height of atoms or ions jumping between two unstable sites, so that the probability of atoms or ions staying at the two unstable sites tends to be the same, thereby generating a random telegraph noise signal with uniform high and low level distribution.

[0033] Specifically, as an example, a schematic diagram of the random transition of a metal atom or ion between two unstable sites is shown in the reference. Figure 2 The upper right part. Assume these two sites are site A and site B, and the potential barrier height for the transition from site A to site B is E. a The potential barrier height for the transition from site B to site A is E. b And E a >E b The transition probability (P) is described by the Arrhenius relation: PA→B ∝exp(-E a / k B T); P B→A ∝exp(-E b / k B T), where k B is Boltzmann's constant, and T is temperature.

[0034] The perturbation voltage affects the local electric field at the location of the wave atom, changing the potential barrier height and causing E a =E a0 -ɑV,E b =E b0 +ɑV. As V increases, the potential barrier on one side decreases while the potential barrier on the other side increases, potentially making the potential barrier heights on both sides equal, and the transition probability tends to be consistent, i.e., P. A→B =P B→A .

[0035] In this embodiment, the method for determining that the probability of a metal atom or ion residing at two unstable sites tends to be the same is as follows: Random telegraph noise manifests as a conductance or current signal that is randomly held at a high level or low level for a period of time before transitioning to another level. The average holding time of the signal in the high level and low level states is statistically analyzed and compared. When the average holding time of the high level is equal to or substantially equal to the average holding time of the low level, it is determined that the probability of a metal atom or ion residing at two unstable sites tends to be the same.

[0036] In practical applications, the barrier height can be obtained through experimental measurement and fitting. For example, by fixing a certain perturbation voltage V, the average hold time in the high-level and low-level states is statistically analyzed at different temperatures. The relationship between the average hold time and temperature is then fitted using the Arrhenius formula to obtain the barrier height E. a and E b .

[0037] Then, in step S220, during the application of the perturbation voltage, the random telegraph noise signal is acquired at a preset sampling frequency. In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the preset sampling frequency is 100Hz; of course, other sampling frequencies can be set according to the specific random telegraph noise signal sampling requirements.

[0038] After acquiring the random telegraph noise signal, the process proceeds to step S230, where a preset software algorithm converts the acquired random telegraph noise signal into a binary random number sequence. Specifically, as an example, the software algorithm for converting the acquired random telegraph noise signal into a binary random number sequence can be implemented using the following method: S231: Dynamically determine the threshold for the high and low levels of the random telegraph noise signal; the method for determining the threshold includes, but is not limited to, KMeans clustering or the maximum gap method based on histograms.

[0039] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, KMeans clustering analysis is first applied to the collected conductivity value sequence, with the number of clusters set to 2, to automatically identify the center values ​​of the high conductivity state and the low conductivity state, and the arithmetic mean of the two center values ​​is used as a dynamic threshold. When the clustering process becomes unstable or the results are unreasonable, such as the distance between the two cluster centers being too small, or the number of samples in a certain cluster being significantly insufficient, the threshold is determined by using the maximum gap method or the median method based on histograms. In the maximum gap method, a distribution histogram of the sampled values ​​is constructed to identify the two peaks corresponding to the high and low level values, and the center of the interval corresponding to the lowest frequency is found as the threshold. This dynamic threshold determination method can maintain the accuracy of threshold identification when the signal experiences baseline drift or amplitude changes due to environmental changes or device aging, thereby avoiding the degradation of random number quality caused by a fixed threshold.

[0040] S232: Convert the random telegraph noise signal into a binary state sequence according to the threshold, and identify the transition time of the binary state sequence.

[0041] S233: Calculate the time interval between adjacent transition moments in the binary state sequence and convert the time interval into a microsecond integer; for example, if the transition time interval is 0.012345 seconds, then convert it to 12345 microseconds.

[0042] S234: Extract the last two digits (units digit) and the second-to-last digit (tens digit) of the microsecond integer, and generate a binary random bit stream based on the parity of the last two digits. For example, if the time interval is 12345 microseconds, the last two digits are 5 (odd) and the second-to-last digit is 4 (even). According to the parity rule (odd → 1, even → 0), bits 1 and 0 will be generated respectively, resulting in the bit stream "10". This dual-entropy extraction strategy can extract more random information from the micro-fluctuations of the time interval, effectively eliminate potential statistical biases, and improve the entropy density and unpredictability of the random number sequence.

[0043] The random number sequence generated by the above method has good randomness and unpredictability, which meets the security requirements of encryption applications.

[0044] After obtaining the required binary random number sequence, the device can be reconstructed so that the binary random number sequence can be repeatedly obtained based on the above steps S210 to S230, so as to obtain different true random number sequences under different conductance states as encrypted data.

[0045] Step S240 is the device reconstruction step, in which a negative scanning voltage is applied to one side of the active metal electrode and the other side is grounded, so as to oxidize the metal atoms that form atomic point contacts again into metal ions, and migrate to the active metal electrode side under the action of electric field, causing the atomic point contacts to break and realizing device reconstruction.

[0046] Specifically, as an example, a negative scanning voltage is applied to the Ag side of the active metal electrode, while the inert metal electrode Au is grounded, with a cutoff voltage of -0.15V. The Ag atoms forming atomic point contacts are re-oxidized into Ag ions, which migrate towards the Ag side of the active metal electrode under the influence of the electric field, causing the atomic point contacts to break, thereby achieving device reconstruction. Figure 4 As shown in Figure (b), multiple quantum conductance states appear in the device during the negative voltage scan, indicating that atomic point contacts have been successfully formed in the device of this embodiment. Furthermore, by changing the limiting current and cutoff voltage, the size of the atomic point contacts can be controlled to obtain different conductance states.

[0047] By repeating steps S210 to S240 above, the true random number generator based on atomic point contact according to the embodiment of the present invention can obtain different true random number sequences under different conductance states.

[0048] This reconstruction process is used to restore the randomness characteristics of atomic point contacts when random telegraph noise signals drift, disappear, or experience a significant decrease in randomness, thereby effectively extending the lifespan of the true random number generator and ensuring the quality of its random number output.

[0049] In one specific embodiment of the present invention, an atomic point contact structure is constructed using a Keithley 4200A semiconductor parameter instrument to generate a true random number sequence. The specific control steps are as follows: 1. Connect the prepared atomic point contact-based true random number generator to the Keithley 4200A-SCS semiconductor parameter analyzer via a probe station; 2. A forward scanning voltage is applied to the Ag side of the active metal electrode, while the Au inert metal electrode is grounded. A current limit of 32.5 μA and a cutoff voltage of 0.3 V are set. Under the influence of the electric field, the Ag on the active metal electrode is partially oxidized to Ag ions, which then migrate into the two-dimensional material MoS2. Simultaneously, they are reduced to Ag atoms by electrons from the Au inert metal electrode, thus forming atomic point contacts in MoS2. Figure 4As shown in Figure (a), the turn-on voltage of the true random number generator based on atomic point contact in this embodiment is 0.18V, indicating that the device in this embodiment of the invention has the characteristic of low operating voltage. The scanning step size of the above-mentioned forward scanning voltage is between 0.1mV and 0.5mV, for example, 0.2mV is used in this embodiment. By precisely controlling the scanning step size, the fineness of Ag ion migration can be effectively controlled, forming stable atomic point contacts, so that it can generate a uniform random telegraph noise signal under subsequent perturbation voltage; 3. After forming atomic point contacts, the inert metal electrode side is grounded, and a constant perturbation voltage is applied to the active metal electrode Ag side. The amplitude of this voltage is preferably between 0.01V and 0.1V. By precisely controlling the potential barrier height for atoms or ions jumping between two unstable sites, the probability of atoms or ions remaining at the two unstable sites tends to be equal. In this embodiment, the applied perturbation voltage is 0.03V, and the result is as follows... Figure 5 As shown, this indicates that the random telegraph noise signal has high stability at this voltage. It should be noted that voltages below 0.01V may be insufficient to effectively excite transitions, while voltages above 0.1V may lead to device instability, thereby reducing the randomness quality. Figure 6 The process of extracting random numbers based on random telegraph noise signals according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. For example... Figure 6 As shown, in the process of extracting random numbers based on random telegraph noise signals, the threshold is first determined to distinguish between high and low levels; the time after the conductance jump is recorded; the time interval Δt is calculated and converted into a microsecond integer; then the second to last (tens digit) and the last (units digit) of the integer value of the time interval are extracted; and a binary random number sequence is generated according to the parity of its value (even number → 0, odd number → 1).

[0050] Experiments have shown that the true random numbers generated using the true random number generator of this invention have good randomness and can all pass the random number test (international standard for random number testing) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Therefore, applying this invention to generate true random numbers based on random telegraph noise signals generated by atomic point contact can overcome the technical bottlenecks of existing TRNGs in terms of miniaturization, high randomness, and reconfigurability.

[0051] Compared with existing technologies, the control method of the true random number generator based on atomic point contact provided by this invention utilizes random telegraph noise signals to generate true random number sequences, significantly improving security and miniaturization. It is applicable to information security fields such as data encryption, key generation, and identity authentication, and is particularly suitable for on-chip systems and portable devices with high security and miniaturization requirements. Furthermore, the reconfigurability of the device in this invention provides strong assurance for its long-term stable operation and multi-scenario adaptability.

[0052] It should be understood that the embodiments described are for illustrative purposes only and are not limited to this structure in the scope of the patent application.

[0053] In the several embodiments provided by this invention, it should be understood that the disclosed devices, systems, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the system embodiments described above are merely illustrative, and the structures described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention.

[0054] The control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact according to the present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications can be made to the control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact proposed in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the contents of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a true random number generator based on atomic point contact, characterized in that, The true random number generator based on atomic point contact is prepared using the following method: S110: A bottom electrode layer, a dielectric layer, and a top electrode layer are formed sequentially from bottom to top on a substrate; wherein, either the bottom electrode layer or the top electrode layer is an inert metal electrode and the other is an active metal electrode, and the dielectric layer is a two-dimensional material layer. S120: Apply a positive voltage to one side of the active metal electrode and ground the other side of the active metal electrode, so that the active metal ions generated on one side of the active metal electrode migrate to the two-dimensional material layer under the action of the electric field, and form atomic point contacts with quantum conductivity effect in the two-dimensional material layer. The control method includes the following steps: S210: A perturbation voltage is applied to one side of the active metal electrode of the true random number generator of the atomic point contact to drive the metal atoms or ions in the atomic point contact to perform random thermally activated transitions between unstable sites, generating a random telegraph noise signal; wherein, the random telegraph noise signal is manifested as random jumps in current or conductance between two or more discrete values, and the timing and duration of the jumps are unpredictable. S220: During the application of the perturbation voltage, the random telegraph noise signal is acquired at a preset sampling frequency; S230: Converts the collected random telegraph noise signal into a binary random number sequence through a preset software algorithm; S240: A negative scanning voltage is applied to one side of the active metal electrode, while the other side is grounded, so as to oxidize the metal atoms that form atomic point contacts into metal ions again, and migrate to the active metal electrode side under the action of electric field, thereby breaking the atomic point contacts and realizing the reconstruction of the device.

2. The control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The perturbation voltage is a DC voltage with an amplitude in the range of 0.01V to 0.1V; the perturbation voltage is used to adjust the potential barrier height of the metal atom or ion randomly jumping between two unstable sites, so that the probability of the metal atom or ion staying at the two unstable sites tends to be the same.

3. The control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The collected random telegraph noise signal is converted into a binary random number sequence using software algorithms, including: S231: Dynamically determine the high and low level thresholds of the random telegraph noise signal; S232: Convert the random telegraph noise signal into a binary state sequence according to the threshold, and identify the transition time of the binary state sequence; S233: Calculate the time interval between adjacent transition moments in the transition moments of the binary state sequence, and convert the time interval into a microsecond integer; S234: Extract the last two bits of the microsecond integer and generate a binary random bit stream based on their parity.

4. The control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The high and low level thresholds of the random telegraph noise signal are dynamically determined using KMeans clustering or the maximum gap method based on histograms.

5. The control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Repeat steps S210 to S230 to obtain different true random number sequences under different conductance states.

6. The control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The positive voltage is applied by scanning voltage, with a step size between 0.1mV and 0.5mV.

7. The control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The inert metal electrode is made of one or more of ITO, Au, Pt, Pd, and graphite; the active metal electrode is made of one or more of Ni, Ag, Cu, Al, and Zn.

8. The control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The material of the two-dimensional material layer includes one or more of graphene, transition metal chalcogenides, black phosphorus, MXene, and boron nitride.

9. The control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Both the inert metal electrode and the active metal electrode have conductive properties and a thickness of 30-100 nm; the two-dimensional material layer has insulating properties and a thickness of 10-100 nm.

10. The application of the control method for a true random number generator based on atomic point contact as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The control method of the true random number generator based on atomic point contact is applied to data encryption, key generation, and identity authentication.

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