Modeling Random Telegraph Noise as a Randomness Source and its Application in True Random Number Generation

Abstract

The random telegraph noise (RTN) is becoming more serious in advanced technologies. Due to the unpredictability of the physical phenomenon, RTN is a good randomness source for true random number generators (TRNG). In this paper, we build fundamental randomness models for TRNGs based on single trap- and multiple traps-induced RTN. We theoretically derive the autocorrelation coefficient, bias, and bit rate for RTN-based TRNGs. Two representative RTN-based TRNG schemes are simulated to verify the proposed randomness models. An oscillator-based TRNG is also studied based on the theoretical randomness model of multiple traps-induced RTN. We also provide basic guidelines for designing RTN-based TRNGs.