Thermal noise informatics: Totally secure communication via a wire; Zero-power communication; and Thermal noise driven computing

摘要

Very recently, it has been shown that thermal noise and its artificialversions (Johnson-like noises) can be utilized as an information carrier withpeculiar properties therefore it may be proper to call this topic Thermal NoiseInformatics. Zero Power (Stealth) Communication, Thermal Noise DrivenComputing, and Totally Secure Classical Communication are relevant examples. Inthis paper, while we will briefly describe the first and the second subjects,we shall focus on the third subject, the secure classical communication viawire. This way of secure telecommunication utilizes the properties ofJohnson(-like) noise and those of a simple Kirchhoff's loop. The communicatoris unconditionally secure at the conceptual (circuit theoretical) level andthis property is (so far) unique in communication systems based on classicalphysics. The communicator is superior to quantum alternatives in all knownaspects, except the need of using a wire. In the idealized system, theeavesdropper can extract zero bit of information without getting uncovered. Thescheme is naturally protected against the man-in-the-middle attack. Thecommunication can take place also via currently used power lines or phone(wire) lines and it is not only a point-to-point communication like quantumchannels but network-ready. Tests have been carried out on a model-line withranges beyond the ranges of any known direct quantum communication channel andthey indicate unrivalled signal fidelity and security performance. This simpledevice has single-wire secure key generation/sharing rates of 0.1, 1, 10, and100 bit/second for copper wires with diameters/ranges of 21 mm / 2000 km, 7 mm/ 200 km, 2.3 mm / 20 km, and 0.7 mm / 2 km, respectively and it performs with0.02% raw-bit error rate (99.98 % fidelity).