Quantum Physical Unclonable Functions (QPUFs) offer a physically grounded approach to secure authentication, extending the capabilities of classical PUFs. This review covers their theoretical foundations and key implementation challenges - such as quantum memories and Haar-randomness -, and distinguishes QPUFs from Quantum Readout PUFs (QR-PUFs), more experimentally accessible yet less robust against quantum-capable adversaries. A co-citation-based selection method is employed to trace the evolution of QPUF architectures, from early QR-PUFs to more recent Hybrid PUFs (HPUFs). This method further supports a discussion on the role of information-theoretic analysis in mitigating inconsistencies in QPUF responses, underscoring the deep connection between secret-key generation and authentication. Despite notable advances, achieving practical and robust QPUF-based authentication remains an open challenge.
@article{arxiv.2508.09296,
title = {Secure authentication via Quantum Physical Unclonable Functions: a review},
author = {Pol Julià Farré and Vladlen Galetsky and Mohamed Belhassen and Gregor Pieplow and Kumar Nilesh and Holger Boche and Tim Schröder and Janis Nötzel and Christian Deppe},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2508.09296},
year = {2026}
}