The scheme of a device that should have a simple and reliable implementation and that, under simply verifiable conditions,
should generate a true random binary sequence is defined. Some tricks are used to suppress bias and correlation so that the
desired statistical properties are obtained without using any pseudorandom transformation. The proposed scheme is well represented
by an analytic model that describes the system behaviour both under normal conditions and when different failures occur. Within
the model, it is shown that the system is robust to changes in the circuit parameters. Furthermore, a test procedure can be
defined to verify the correct operation of the generator without performing any statistical analysis of its output.
Keywords True random number generators - noise - cryptography - tests for randomness
Acknowledgments This work has been carried out in the framework of the agreement between the Italian PT Administration and the Fondazione
“Ugo Bordoni”.