Random telegraph signal generation based on magnetic tunnel junction for security and unconventional computing applications

Jian, J, Yuan, X, Zhao, F, Chai, Z ORCID: 0000-0003-3446-7138, Zhou, X ORCID: 0000-0002-2218-0618, Luo, Y, Yue, X ORCID: 0009-0008-0551-9203, Zhang, JF ORCID: 0000-0003-4987-6428, Zhang, W ORCID: 0000-0003-4600-7382 and Min, T Random telegraph signal generation based on magnetic tunnel junction for security and unconventional computing applications. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. ISSN 0022-3727 (Accepted)

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Abstract

Random telegraph signals (RTS) can serve as a physical entropy source for hardware security, stochastic computing, and artificial intelligence, yet the conventional implementations of RTS face critical limitations: CMOS-based approaches suffer from area inefficiency; emerging memristors offer probabilistic switching but lack controllability; while existing spintronic RTS solutions require external magnetic fields with limited tunability. This work introduces a field-free, electronically modulated RTS methodology using a single magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device. By exploiting voltage-controlled stochastic magnetization switching, we generate intrinsically random RTS with demonstrated cryptographic-grade randomness. The RTS platform successfully executes key exchange protocols and real-time voice encryption. Crucially, the core parameters of RTS-state occupation ratio and transition time constants-can be dynamically modulated via excitation amplitude adjustment. This controllable RTS also successfully achieved image edge detection without post-processing and played a significant role in suppressing overfitting of neural networks. This voltage-modulated RTS paradigm bridges hardware stochasticity with algorithmic demands, establishing a robust foundation for secure and efficient computing systems.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	40 Engineering; 51 Physical Sciences; Bioengineering; 02 Physical Sciences; 09 Engineering; Applied Physics; 40 Engineering; 51 Physical sciences
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics T Technology > T Technology (General)
Divisions:	Engineering
Publisher:	IOP Publishing
Date of acceptance:	10 December 2025
Date Deposited:	17 Feb 2026 10:43
Last Modified:	17 Feb 2026 10:43
DOI or ID number:	10.1088/1361-6463/ae2ae7
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28085

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