Memory-controlled random bit generator

Abstract Nowadays a bit is no longer a mere abstraction but a physical quantity whose manipulation governs both operation of modern technologies and theoretical frontiers of fundamental science. In this work we propose a setup in which the memory time can be utilized to control the generation and storage of binary information. In particular, we consider a nonequilibrium Brownian particle immersed in a viscoelastic environment and dwelling in a spatially periodic potential. We interpret its average velocity as a bit and show that depending on the memory time characterizing the viscoelastic bath the particle can be either in one of two stable states representing the bit values or in a chaotic state in which the information is erased and a new bit can be generated. We analyze randomness of the so obtained bit sequence and assess the stability of the produced values. Our study provides a blueprint for storing and processing information in a microscopic system using its memory.