Random Number Generation With a Hybrid Conjugated Polymer Memristor

A two-terminal memristor was constructed from electrochemically doped poly(4-(6-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)hexyl)-4H-dithieno[3,2-b:2’,3’-d]pyrrole) (pC6DTP) and employed as a random number generator (RNG). The polymer exhibited a conductive nature that was dependent on its voltage history that was theorized to be due to two synergistic percolation mechanisms: one associated with the pendant electroactive heterocyclic rings and one associated with the polymer backbone conjugation. The generated random number (RN) stream was evaluated for “randomness” with select tests from NIST SP 800–22 Rev. 1a testing protocol, which indicated that the bitstream was classified as random as generated without any postprocessing, while the energy required to generate a bit was ca. 0.67 pJ.