iQrypto symbol
QRNG.io
Powered by iQrypto
Technology

CMOS-native QRNG

Quantum entropy designed for compact, electronics-native integration.

Inside silicon, tiny charge events occur unpredictably. A CMOS-native QRNG measures physical fluctuations associated with these events, checks that the signal behaves like a valid entropy source, removes classical artifacts, and conditions the measured entropy into cryptographic random bits.

Inside the Silicon

How can silicon generate quantum entropy?

Inside silicon, tiny charge events occur unpredictably. A CMOS-native QRNG measures physical fluctuations associated with these charge events, checks that the signal behaves like a valid entropy source, removes classical artifacts, and conditions the measured entropy into cryptographic random bits.

Figure 3 — Quantum entropy inside standard siliconThe unpredictability comes from charge behaviour inside the silicon itself; the surrounding circuit measures it, discards classical artifacts, and conditions what remains.

Figure 3 is described in full in the alt text.

Simplified pipeline
  1. Step 1Physical entropy source
    A quantum process inside silicon that produces unpredictable signals.
  2. Step 2Measurement
    The signal is read by on-chip electronics.
  3. Step 3Validation checks
    Continuous checks confirm the source behaves as a valid entropy source.
  4. Step 4Conditioning
    Classical noise and bias are removed so the output is uniform.
  5. Step 5Random bits
    High-quality random bits are produced for cryptographic use.
  6. Step 6Security applications
    Keys, nonces, tokens, secure communications, and more.

This is a public, educational description. It does not describe internal circuit details, device parameters, or extraction thresholds.

A Complementary Path

CMOS-native, not optics-dependent

Many QRNGs are explained through optical or photonic examples. QRNG.io also explains CMOS-native QRNG: an approach focused on standard silicon electronics, compact hardware, and integration into real systems.

Photonic QRNG remains an important and proven approach. CMOS-native QRNG is a complementary path focused on electronics-native integration.

Electronics-native

Built around standard silicon electronics, so the entropy source lives close to where the random numbers are consumed.

Compact hardware

Suited to evaluation boards, embedded modules, and integration into existing hardware designs.

Integration-oriented

Designed to fit alongside the cryptographic stack, not as a separate optical instrument in a different rack.

QRNG Approaches

Different approaches to quantum entropy

Photonic QRNG is an important and proven approach. CMOS-native QRNG is a complementary path focused on compact hardware, standard silicon electronics, and integration into real systems.

Figure 4 — Photonic and CMOS-native QRNGBoth approaches end at the same place — validated random bits. They differ in the physics they measure and in how easily the source fits inside ordinary electronics.
ApproachEntropy sourceTypical implementationStrengthsEngineering considerationsBest-fit applications
Photonic QRNGOptical quantum effects: photon detection, optical shot noise, laser phase noise.Often uses optical components, packaging, alignment, or photonic integration.Proven, well-studied, widely deployed in QRNG products today.Optical packaging, alignment tolerances, and photonic integration complexity.Datacenter modules, scientific use, established cryptographic infrastructure.
Electron-based QRNG
Future-facing
Quantum electronic effects used as the underlying entropy source.Electronics-native, designed for semiconductor and PCB integration.Compact form factor, embedded suitability, scalable manufacturing potential.An emerging direction — characterization, certification, and ecosystem maturation are ongoing.Embedded systems, OEM devices, chip-scale security, scalable deployment.

"The future of QRNG is not only about generating quantum entropy. It is about making quantum entropy practical, observable, integrable, and deployable."

Keep reading

Read more on entropy architecture

Detailed articles on entropy sources, the NIST random-bit-generation framework, and how trust is established.

Or look up a term in the QRNG glossary

Hardware evaluation and integration are handled by iQrypto. See the evaluation kit page for how technical and research evaluation usually works.