diff --git a/include/fiction/technology/charge_distribution_surface.hpp b/include/fiction/technology/charge_distribution_surface.hpp
index 808052de6..af1799bd9 100644
--- a/include/fiction/technology/charge_distribution_surface.hpp
+++ b/include/fiction/technology/charge_distribution_surface.hpp
@@ -758,13 +758,10 @@ class charge_distribution_surface<Lyt, false> : public Lyt
 
         if (!candidates.empty())
         {
-            const auto random_index =
-                static_cast<uint64_t>(std::rand()) %  // NOLINT: we use rand() due to its performance advantage; we do
-                                                      // not need cryptographic security here
-                candidates.size();
-
-            const auto random_element         = index_vector[candidates[random_index]];
-            strg->cell_charge[random_element] = sidb_charge_state::NEGATIVE;
+            static std::mt19937_64                  generator(std::random_device{}());
+            std::uniform_int_distribution<uint64_t> dist(0, candidates.size() - 1);
+            const auto                              random_element = index_vector[candidates[dist(generator)]];
+            strg->cell_charge[random_element]                      = sidb_charge_state::NEGATIVE;
             negative_indices.push_back(random_element);
 
             strg->system_energy += -(this->get_local_potential_by_index(random_element).value());