Quantum Advancements: TU/e Secures Four Quantum Technology Grants for Innovative Projects
Quantum proof security systems, optical tweezer arrays, quantum key distribution, and quantum computers based on neutral atoms are the topics covered in the four TU/e projects funded within the National Growth Fund (NGF) programme Quantum Technology, carried out by NWO in collaboration with Quantum Delta NL. And the researchers from all four funded projects are part of the Eindhoven Hendrik Casimir Institute (EHCI), the TU/e institute driving innovative research in photonics, electronics, and quantum technology.
The goal of Quantum Delta NL (QDNL) and NWO is to realize the much-needed scientific and technological breakthroughs in the field of quantum technology such as quantum sensing applications, quantum computing, and quantum networking.
As part of the 2023 funding call, almost 10.4 million euros was granted to 19 projects in the Netherlands. QDNL has reserved a total of 42 million euros for research and innovation over a period of seven years.
TU/e’s fourfold success
Of the nineteen successful projects, four are based at TU/e, with all researchers involved strongly connected with the Eindhoven Hendrik Casimir Institute (EHCI), The institute was officially launched in 2021, and is exploring the very latest in photonics and quantum technologies.
The four successful TU/e projects cover a wide range of topics related to the world of quantum. More information on these projects is available at the end of this article.
Quantum computing with neutral atoms
For her project AtomCOMP, Aida Todri-Sanial will explore quantum computers that are based on neutral atoms. A neutral atom is an atom that has an equal number of protons and electrons, which means that it is not charged. In quantum computers it’s important to cool the atoms used to store data as so-called qubits to very low temperatures. As it turns out, it’s easier to cool neutral atoms and easier to work with more neutral atoms than charged atoms.
Optical tweezers
An optical tweezer is a laser beam that can hold an atom, sort of like how a tweezer can grab a small object. When it comes to storing information in atoms in quantum computers, optical tweezers are very much needed. For their project, Oded Raz and Edgar Vredenbregt plan to enhance the capabilities of optical tweezers.
High-speed quantum key distribution
In the future it’s quite likely that you’ll send information with a little help from quantum key distribution (QKD), which is the secure sharing of information using secret keys that is based on quantum mechanics. For his funded project, Idelfonso Tafur Monroy wants to develop the first all-integrated, high-speed QKD transmitter.
Quantum proof security systems
There’s a lot of positivity out there with regards to quantum computers, but there are drawbacks when it comes to the success of quantum computing developments, one of which is that our current security systems can be broken with a large-scale quantum computer. For their project Extensions of Post-quantum CryptograpHy and Algorithms or EPOCHAL for short, Tanja Lange and Kathrin Hövelmanns want to design replacements for our current security systems.
Motivating for researchers
Servaas Kokkelmans, who is full professor at the Applied Physics and Science Education (APSE) department of TU/e and chair of the NWO Quantum Assessment Committee recognizes the importance of the Quantum Technology grants.
“The second Quantum Technology call was a great success. The successful proposals are spread across various areas of expertise in and application of quantum technology, and they all feed into the three catalyst projects of QDNL ,” says Kokkelmans. “Both the quality of the proposals and the success rate are very high. This is very motivating for the researchers and will significantly increase their involvement with QDNL.”