Quantum random number generation (QRNG) harnesses the intrinsic randomness of quantum mechanical phenomena. On-chip photonic circuitry provides a robust and versatile platform that can address and explore fundamental questions in quantum as well as classical physics. Likewise, integrated waveguide-based architectures hold the potential for intrinsically scalable, efficient and compact implementations of photonic QRNG. Here, we harness the quantum emission from the two-dimensional material hexagonal boron nitride an emerging atomically thin medium that can generate single photons on demand while operating at room temperature. By means of a customized splitter arrangement, we achieve true random number generation through the measurement of single photons exiting one of four designated output ports, and subsequently verify the randomness of the sequences in accordance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology benchmark suite. Our results clearly demonstrate the viability and efficiency of this approach to on-chip deterministic random number generators.

Light propagation is strongly affected by scattering due to imperfections in the complex medium. It has been recently theoretically predicted that a scattering-free transport through an inhomogeneous medium is achievable by non-Hermitian tailoring of the complex refractive index. Here, we implement photonic constant-intensity waves in an inhomogeneous, linear, discrete mesh lattice. By extending the existing theoretical framework, we experimentally show that a driven non-Hermitian tailoring allows us to control the propagation and diffraction of light even in highly disordered systems. In this vein, we demonstrate the transmission of shape-preserving beams and the seemingly undistorted propagation of light excitations across a strongly inhomogeneous non-Hermitian photonic lattice that can be realized by coupled optical fiber loops. Our results lead to a deeper understanding of non-Hermitian wave control and further contribute to the development of non-Hermitian photonics.

Anderson localization predicts that transport in one-dimensional uncorrelated disordered systems comes to a complete halt, experiencing no transport whatsoever. However, in reality, a disordered physical system is always correlated because it must have a finite spectrum. Common wisdom in the field states that localization is dominant only for wave packets whose spectral extent resides within the region of the wave number span of the disorder. Here, we show experimentally that Anderson localization can occur and even be dominant for wave packets residing entirely outside the spectral extent of the disorder. We study the evolution of wave packets in synthetic photonic lattices containing bandwidth-limited (correlated) disorder and observe strong localization for wave packets centered at twice the mean wave number of the disorder spectral extent and at low wave numbers, both far beyond the spectrum of the disorder. Our results shed light on fundamental aspects of disordered systems and offer avenues for using spectrally shaped disorder for controlling transport.

Anderson localization is a fundamental wave phenomenon predicting that transport in a 1D uncorrelated disordered system comes to a complete halt, experiencing no transport whatsoever. However, in reality, a disordered physical system is always correlated, because it must have a finite spectrum. Common wisdom in the field states that localization is dominant only for wavepackets whose spectral extent resides within the region of the wavenumber span of the disorder. Here, we experimentally observe that Anderson localization can occur and even be dominant for wavepackets residing entirely outside the spectral extent of the disorder. We study the evolution of waves in synthetic photonic lattices containing bandwidth-limited (correlated) disorder, and observe Anderson localization for wavepackets of high wavenumbers centered around twice the mean wavenumber of the disorder spectrum. Likewise, we predict and observe Anderson localization at low wavenumbers, also outside the spectral extent of the disorder, and find that localization there can be as strong as for first-order transitions. This feature is universal, common to all Hermitian wave systems, implying that low-wavenumber wavepackets localize with a short localization length even when the disorder is strictly at high wavenumbers. This understanding suggests that disordered media should be opaque for long-wavelengths even when the disorder is strictly at much shorter length scales. Our results shed light on fundamental aspects of physical disordered systems and offer avenues for employing spectrally-shaped disorder for controlling transport in systems containing disorder.