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Quantum technology for the 21st century
Scientific discussion meeting organised by Professor Sir Peter Knight FRS, Professor Ian Walmsley FRS, Professor Gerard Milburn, Dr Jonathan Pritchard, Dr Stephen Till.
The meeting included academic and industry leaders in quantum physics and engineering to identify the next generation of quantum technologies for translational development. These include: simulators for chemistry and materials, imaging systems, enhanced sensors, ultra-precise atomic clocks, secure communications networks and quantum co-processors, such as certified random number generators and small-scale computing engines.
Speaker biographies, abstracts, and recorded audio of the presentations are available below.
This meeting was followed by a related, two-day satellite meeting, Quantum technology challenges for the 21st century, at the Royal Society at Chicheley Hall, home of the Kavli Royal Society Centre.
Enquiries: contact the events team.
Schedule
Chair
Sir Peter Knight FRS, Imperial College London, UK
Sir Peter Knight FRS, Imperial College London, UK
Peter Knight is Senior Research Investigator at Imperial College. He retired in 2010 as Deputy Rector (Research) at Imperial. He was knighted in 2005 for his work in optical physics. Knight was the 2004 President of the Optical Society of America and 2011-2013 President of the Institute of Physics. He is Editor of Contemporary Physics, Chair of the UK National Quantum Technology Programme Strategy Advisory Board, chairs the Quantum Metrology Institute at the National Physical Laboratory, was until 2010 chair of the UK Defence Scientific Advisory Council and remains a UK Government science advisor. His research centres on quantum optics and quantum technology. He has won the Thomas Young Medal and the Glazebrook Medal of the Institute of Physics, the Ives Medal and the Walther Medal and Prize of the OSA, the Royal Medal of the Royal Society and the Faraday Prize of the IET.
09:00 - 09:30 |
Atom interferometry for navigation
In the laboratory environment, atom interferometry provides a way to measure rotations and accelerations with spectacular accuracy. Very low noise figures are possible, but also extremely stable bias (zero offset) and calibration. This opens the possibility of inertial navigation over long periods without needing recourse to the global navigation satellite system. I will outline the basic idea of atom interferometry and explain why it is so accurate. I will also discuss the challenges that arise when trying to incorporate this new technology into a practical inertial navigation system. Professor Ed Hinds FRS, Imperial College London, UK
Professor Ed Hinds FRS, Imperial College London, UKEd Hinds has a BA and DPhil in Physics, from Oxford. He worked at Columbia (1975-1976), Yale (1976-1995) and University of Sussex (1995-2002) and is now a Royal Society Research Professor at Imperial College London, where he directs the Centre for Cold Matter. Awards include EPSRC Senior Research Fellow (1999), Fellow of the Royal Society (2004), Royal Society Research Professor (2006), IoP Thomson Medal and Prize (2008), Royal Society Rumford Medal (2008), IoP Faraday Medal and Prize (2013). |
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09:30 - 10:00 |
Quantum computing in silicon with donor electron spins
Extremely long electron and nuclear spin coherence times have recently been demonstrated in isotopically pure Si-28 making silicon one of the most promising semiconductor materials for spin based quantum information. The two level spin state of single electrons bound to shallow phosphorus donors in silicon in particular provide well defined, reproducible qubits and represent a promising system for a scalable quantum computer in silicon. An important challenge in these systems is the realisation of an architecture, where we can position donors within a crystalline environment with approx. 20-50nm separation, individually address each donor, manipulate the electron spins using ESR techniques and read-out their spin states. We have developed a unique fabrication strategy for a scalable quantum computer in silicon using scanning tunneling microscope hydrogen lithography to precisely position individual P donors in a Si crystal aligned with nanoscale precision to local control gates necessary to initialize, manipulate, and read-out the spin states. During this talk I will focus on demonstrating spin transport and single-shot spin read-out of precisely-positioned P donors in Si. I will also describe our approaches to scale up using rf reflectometry and the investigation of 3D architectures for implementation of the surface code. Professor Michelle Simmons, University of New South Wales, Australia
Professor Michelle Simmons, University of New South Wales, AustraliaProfessor Simmons is an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow and Director of the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. She has pioneered unique technologies internationally to build electronic devices in silicon at the atomic scale, including the world's smallest transistor, the narrowest conducting wires and the first transistor where a single atom controls its operation. This work opens up the prospect of developing a silicon-based quantum computer. Professor Simmons is one of a handful of researchers in Australia to have twice received a Federation Fellowship and now a Laureate Fellowship, the Australian Research Council’s most prestigious award of this kind. She has won the Pawsey Medal (2006) and Lyle Medal (2015) from the Australian Academy of Science for outstanding research in physics and was, upon her appointment, one of the youngest fellows of this Academy. She was named Scientist of the Year by the New South Wales Government in 2012 and in 2014/5 has become one of only a few Australians inducted into both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She has recently become Editor-in-Chief of Nature Quantum Information and in 2015 was awarded the CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science. |
Chair
Professor Ian Walmsley FRS, Imperial College London, UK
Professor Ian Walmsley FRS, Imperial College London, UK
Ian Walmsley is Provost of Imperial College London, UK, and Chair in Experimental Physics. His research in optical science and technology ranges from ultrafast optics to quantum information science. Currently he is the Director of the Networked Quantum Information Technology Hub, the largest collaboration in the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Optical Society (OSA), the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics.
11:00 - 11:30 |
Suppression and revival of weak localisation of ultra-cold atoms by manipulation of time-reversal symmetry
In the early 1980's, observation of a magneto-resistance anomaly in metallic thin films was attributed to the phenomenon of weak localisation of electrons and to time-reversal symmetry breaking due to a magnetic field acting upon charged particles. In the context of our quantum simulation program, we have directly observed weak localisation of ultra-cold atoms in a 2D configuration, placed in a disordered potential created by a laser speckle. In order to manipulate time-reversal symmetry with our neutral atoms, we take advantage of the slow evolution of our system, and we observe the suppression and revival of weak localisation when time reversal symmetry is cancelled and re-established. Professor Alain Aspect ForMemRS, Institut d'Optique, Palaiseau
Professor Alain Aspect ForMemRS, Institut d'Optique, PalaiseauBorn in 1947, Alain Aspect is an alumni of ENS Cachan and Université d'Orsay. He has been a lecturer in Institut d'Optique, Cameroon, ENS Cachan, before taking a research position at ENS/Collège de France, then with CNRS at Institut d'Optique. He is a professor at Institut d'Optique Graduate School (Augustin Fresnel chair), and at Ecole Polytechnique, in Palaiseau. He is a member of the Académie des Sciences (France), Académie des Technologies (France), National Academy of Sciences (USA), OAW (Austria), Académie Royale de Belgique, and Royal Society (London). Alain Aspect research has bore on tests of Bell's inequalities with entangled photon (PhD, 1974-1983), wave-particle duality for single photons (1984-86); laser cooling of atoms with lasers below the one photon recoil (1985-1992, with Claude Cohen-Tannoudji); ultra-cold atoms (1992- , in the Atom Optics group he has established at Institut d'Optique). |
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11:30 - 12:00 |
Large scale photonics quantum networks
Professor Ian Walmsley FRS, Imperial College London, UK
Professor Ian Walmsley FRS, Imperial College London, UKIan Walmsley is Provost of Imperial College London, UK, and Chair in Experimental Physics. His research in optical science and technology ranges from ultrafast optics to quantum information science. Currently he is the Director of the Networked Quantum Information Technology Hub, the largest collaboration in the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Optical Society (OSA), the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics. |
Chair
Professor John Rarity FRS, University of Bristol, UK
Professor John Rarity FRS, University of Bristol, UK
Professor John Rarity FRS is head of Quantum Engineering Technology Labs (Physics and E&EE) and Photonics Group (E&EE) at the University of Bristol (since 2003). He is an international expert on quantum optics, communications and sensing exploiting single photons and entanglement. He pioneered early experiments in path entanglement, quantum key distribution and quantum metrology. Current research focusses on non-linear waveguide sources of pair photons, integrated quantum photonics, sub-shot noise imaging schemes, long wavelength quantum sensing, free space quantum communications, multi-photon entanglement and nanocavities for spin photon interfaces.
13:30 - 14:00 |
Single pixel imaging
Cameras are often marketed in terms of the number of pixels they possess – but do more pixels mean a ‘better’ camera? Rather than increasing the number of pixels we ask the question 'how can a camera work with a single pixel?'. This talk will link the field of computational ghost imaging to that of single-pixel cameras explaining how spatial structuring of either the illumination or imaging system means that image and video reconstruction can be achieved using just a small number of photodiodes. Such approaches are particularly useful for imaging at wavelengths where detector arrays are either very expensive or unobtainable. Within QuantIC we are using this technology to make low-cost cameras for imaging the short-wave Infra red, allowing the visualisation of leaking gas. Professor Miles Padgett FRS, University of Glasgow, UK
Professor Miles Padgett FRS, University of Glasgow, UKMiles Padgett holds the Kelvin Chair of Natural Philosophy at the University of Glasgow. He leads QuantIC, a quantum imaging centre, and one of four Quantum Technology hubs in the UK. In 2001 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and in 2014 a Fellow of the Royal Society, the UK's National Academy. In 2009, with Les Allen, he won the Institute of Physics Young Medal, in 2014 the RSE Kelvin Medal and in 2015 the Science of Light Prize from the European Physical Society. |
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14:00 - 14:30 |
The promise of quantum imaging
Quantum imaging strives to develop methods for improved image formation based the use of quantum phenomena. These quantum images can be superior to those created by conventional methods in terms of sharpness, signal-to-noise ratios, ability to work at low light levels, etc. Aims of research in this area include both the development of increased understanding of quantum protocols for superior imaging and the implementation of these protocols. In this presentation we describe several such protocols under recent investigation. One protocol entails ghost imaging, in which coincidence measurements are used to obtain spatial information about an object even though only a non-imaging (“bucket”) detector is used to collect photons that have interacted with the object. This protocol can prove especially useful when the two photons detected in coincidence have very different wavelengths. Another protocol involves the use of Mandel’s induced coherence without induced emission. It has recently been shown that this process can lead to the formation of images carried by photons that are actually never detected. A third example is the development of imaging procedures for use with extremely weak thermal light fields (such as nighttime illumination by star light). The protocol entails subtracting exactly one photon from such a thermal field. This photon-subtracted state displays strong quantum features such as sub-Poissonian noise properties. Professor Robert Boyd, University of Ottawa, Canada
Professor Robert Boyd, University of Ottawa, CanadaRobert W. Boyd was born in Buffalo, New York. He received the B.S. degree in physics from MIT and the PhD degree in physics from the University of California at Berkeley under the supervision of Charles Townes. Professor Boyd joined the faculty of the University of Rochester in 1977 and in 2001 became the M Parker Givens Professor of Optics and Professor of Physics. In 2010 he became Professor of Physics and Canada Excellence Research Chair in Quantum Nonlinear Optics at the University of Ottawa. His research interests include studies of “slow” and “fast” light propagation, quantum imaging techniques, nonlinear optical interactions, studies of the nonlinear optical properties of materials, and the development of photonic devices including photonic biosensors. He is the 2009 recipient of the Willis E. Lamb Award for Laser Science and Quantum Optics, the 2010 recipient of a Humboldt Research Prize, and the 2014 recipient of Quantum Electronics Award of the IEEE Photonics Society. |
Chair
Dr Elham Kashefi, University of Edinburgh, UK, and CNRS Sorbonne Universite, France
Dr Elham Kashefi, University of Edinburgh, UK, and CNRS Sorbonne Universite, France
Elham Kashefi is Professor of Quantum Computing at the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh and Director of Research at CNRS, Sorbonne Universite. She has pioneered a trans-disciplinary research environment, investigating all aspects of quantum computing and communicating from application all the way to actual implementation and industrial exploitation. She is the associate director of the EPSRC Networked Quantum Information Technologies Hub and executive team leader for the Flagship Quantum Internet Alliance in charge of applications development. She is co-Founder of VeriQloud, a quantum startup in security. She has been awarded the UK EPSRC established career fellowship, the US Airforce Cyber Security grant and the French ATOS chair.
15:30 - 16:00 |
Quantum communication with coherent states of light
Quantum communication offers long-term security especially relevant for government and industry users. On a very fundamental level the security of quantum key distribution relies on the non-orthogonality of the quantum states used. So even coherent states are well suited for this task, the quantum states that describe the light generated by laser systems. Continuous variable quantum key distribution with coherent states uses a technology that is very similar to the one employed in classical coherent communication systems, the backbone of today's internet connections. Here we review recent developments in this field in two regimes: (1) improving QKD equipment by implementing front-end telecom devices and (2) research into satellite QKD for bridging long distances by building upon existing optical satellite links. In optical fibre systems continuous variable quantum cryptography reaches GHz speed and offers efficient integration with commercially available telecommunication techniques, especially in short links within an inner-city or a data centre. Compact and efficient sending and receiving devices can be made of integrated optical components including quantum random number generators. Optical free space communication is a reliable means to transmit classical and quantum information. Free space links offer ad-hoc deployment in intra-city communication, air-to-ground or satellite-to-ground scenarios. In quantum communication the experimental effort has so far been devoted mostly to discrete variables such as the polarisation state of single photons. We present experiments investigating free space transmission of quantum continuous variable states using homodyne measurement, rendering the quantum states immune to stray light and enabling daylight operation. Quantum communication with satellites offers a viable solution to bridge long distances. We will discuss our current joint project with Tesat Spacecom / Airbus in the development of quantum key distribution with coherent optical communication in satellite systems.
Professor Gerd Leuchs, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Germany
Professor Gerd Leuchs, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, GermanyGerd Leuchs is Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen, and an adjunct professor within the physics department of the University of Ottawa. His scientific work includes quantum noise reduced and entangled light beams, solitons in optical fibres, and quantum communication protocols. In 2018 Gerd Leuchs won an advanced grant from the European Research Council, a mega-grant of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Russian Federation and also the Julius-von-Haast Fellowship award from the Royal Society of New Zealand. He is member of a number of advisory boards for quantum technology application and innovation in Germany and abroad. |
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16:00 - 16:30 |
Noise: the fundamental obstacle for scalable quantum information systems
One of the fundamental challenges in the development of quantum technologies is to control noise in these quantum systems. A quantum system always suffers from noise due to unwanted interactions with the environment and imperfect controls. The noise effects on each component of our quantum system tend to accumulate, and it is impossible without noise control for the system to maintain its quantum coherence required for quantum information processing. The control of noise is hence essential for one to realise scalable quantum information systems. In this presentation, we show how we can overcome noise to create a scalable quantum information system both in terms of its size and running time. To achieve this, we consider an approach in which both of the basic device and system architecture are designed together. Such a device can be realised using a single NV centre embedded within an optical cavity. We show how this device as a fundamental module can be used to construct a scalable quantum information system. Professor Kae Nemoto, Japan National Institute for Informatics, Japan
Professor Kae Nemoto, Japan National Institute for Informatics, JapanKae Nemoto is a Professor in the Principles of Informatics Research Division at NII in Tokyo, as well as the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI). She received her PhD from Ochanomizu University in Tokyo in 1996. After several years in Australia and the UK as a research fellow, she took a position at NII in 2003. She is currently the director of the Global Research Center for Quantum Information Science at the National Institute of Informatics. The Research Center focuses on the implementation of quantum information devices, hybrid quantum systems, high precision measurements, quantum networks, and complex systems. She is a Fellow of the IoP (London) and the APS (US). |
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16:30 - 17:00 |
Quantum communications in telecom networks
Secure communications based on quantum cryptography is already employed to transmit highly sensitive medical or financial data. Expanding the range of applications to more widespread use will require a dramatic reduction in the cost of deploying the technology. Central to this challenge is the requirement to avoid expensive dedicated dark fibre for the quantum channel and rather to send the qubits in the ordinary data-carrying network. Here I review progress on integrating quantum communications into conventional telecom infrastructures. Recent work demonstrates it is possible to send qubits along optical fibres which are simultaneously carrying the high data bandwidths found in modern communication systems. This allows a high bandwidth quantum encryption system to be realised, in which multiple 100 Gb/s data channels are secured by quantum keys transmitted along the same fibre. Deployment costs can be greatly reduced in conventional fibre optic communications using point to multi-point links to connect many customers to a common point in the network through shared fibre. This concept can also be applied to quantum communications, allowing multiple users to share the fibre and equipment costs. Indeed recent studies show that quantum key distribution can be combined with data transmission in GPON access networks able to connect up to 128 users. Finally, I will discuss plans to implement these technologies in a large-scale quantum network in the UK. Dr Andrew Shields FREng, Toshiba Cambridge, UK
Dr Andrew Shields FREng, Toshiba Cambridge, UKAndrew Shields FREng is the Assistant Managing Director at Toshiba Research Europe in Cambridge, where he directs Toshiba’s R&D in Quantum Technologies. His research team study semiconductor devices for generating, manipulating and detecting single photons, as well as their applications in quantum communications, imaging, sensing and computing. He has co-authored over 250 scientific papers in the field, which have been cited over 10,000 times and filed over 50 inventions. He currently serves as Chair of the Industry Specification Group for Quantum Key Distribution of ETSI (the European Telecommunications Standardisation Institute). In 2013 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and awarded the Mott Medal by the Institute of Physics. |
Chair
Professor Myungshik Kim, Imperial College London, UK
Professor Myungshik Kim, Imperial College London, UK
Myungshik Kim is Professor of Theoretical Quantum Information Science at Imperial College London. After completing his PhD and postdoctoral work at Imperial College, he took academic positions at Sogang University and Queen’s University Belfast and a Humboldt fellowship at the Max-Planck Institute of Quantum Optics. He then returned to his alma mater in 2010. His current research interests include foundational issues such as quantum-to-classical transitions and gravitational effects in quantum mechanics and implementation issues such as control of quantum coherences in strongly coupled systems, quantum-state engineering of macroscopic systems and quantum-enhanced metrology.
09:00 - 09:30 |
Progress in the UK National Quantum Technology Hub in Sensors and Metrology
We are at the verge of a technology revolution, which harnesses deep quantum effects, often termed Quantum 2.0. Quantum Technologies have been identified internationally as a strategic innovation area based on a global research investment surpassing £2bn. The UK has moved to the forefront of innovation in this area, with a £300M investment in technology translation from science into applications and installed four national quantum technology hubs to cover different areas of future technology. This talk will provide an overview of the activities and recent progress within the UK National Quantum Technology Hub in Sensors and Metrology. It will also discuss case studies of where applications of quantum sensors promises to bring a benefit to society and the economy. Professor Kai Bongs, University of Birmingham, UK
Professor Kai Bongs, University of Birmingham, UKProfessor Kai Bongs is the director of the UK National Quantum Technology Hub in Sensors and Metrology and leads the Birmingham part of the Midlands Ultracold Atom Research Centre. Professor Bongs has 20 years of experience in cold atom research. He is leading 3 European collaborations in the area of quantum sensors and optical clocks, holds an EPSRC Leadership Fellowship awarded in 2012 and a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award in 2013 for ‘Quantum simulators and sensors with ultracold atoms’. |
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09:30 - 10:00 |
Quantum entanglement for precision sensing
Engineered quantum entanglement is thought to offer great promise for applications in computation, metrology and communication, and has been the subject of vigorous study in recent years. We will describe quantum metrology implementations in which clusters of as many as 1000 entangled atoms are used to measure phase shifts in a cold atom clock system at levels of sensitivity unavailable with any competing method. We show how to exploit the metrological benefits of entangled states for precision sensing without employing very low noise detectors, thereby easing the engineering requirements for deployed sensors. We expect the demonstrated methods to become a foundation for future atomic sensors, including clocks and gyroscopes. Professor Mark Kasevich, Stanford University, USA
Professor Mark Kasevich, Stanford University, USAMark Kasevich is a Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Stanford University. He received his BA degree (1985) in Physics from Dartmouth College, a BA (1987) in Physics and Philosophy from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and his PhD (1992) in Applied Physics from Stanford University. He joined the Stanford Physics Department faculty in 1992. From 1997-2002 he was a member of the Yale Physics Department faculty. He returned to Stanford in 2002. His current research interests are centered on the development of quantum sensors of rotation and acceleration based on cold atoms, application of these sensors to tests of General Relativity, investigation of many-body quantum effects in Bose condensed vapors, investigation of quantum-enhanced imaging and measurement methods, and investigation of ultra-fast laser-induced phenomena. He co-founded AOSense, Inc. (2004) and serves as the company’s Consulting Chief Scientist. |
Chair
Professor Patrick Gill MBE, National Physical Laboratory, UK
Professor Patrick Gill MBE, National Physical Laboratory, UK
Patrick Gill is co-Director of the NPL Quantum Metrology Institute, and leads the NPL Time & Frequency team concerned with leading-edge research into state-of-the art quantum frequency standards and clocks based on laser-cooled atoms and ions and ultra-stable lasers, with application to fundamental science & metrology, space, aerospace, navigation, defence and precision engineering.
Patrick joined NPL in 1975 after completing his DPhil at the Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford. He has published 170 scientific papers. He is a visiting professor at Imperial College and at the University of Oxford. He was awarded the I I Rabi Award by the IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium in 2007, and the IOP 2008 Young Medal. His team received the 2014 Duke of Edinburgh award from the Royal Institute of Navigation for long term atomic clock development. Patrick was awarded an MBE for services to Science in The Queen's New Year's Honours List 2015.
11:00 - 11:30 |
Frequency conversion of photons from trapped Ba+ ions for quantum networking
One platform for quantum networking includes entanglement between remotely situated quantum memories. Trapped ion systems have features amenable for quantum networking including long-lived memories, flying qubits and on-site processing capabilities. For a two-node quantum network, entanglement and even teleportation have been demonstrated. Despite these desirable features, there remain challenges. Trapped ions, such as Yb+, have excellent, long-lived quantum memories but emit flying qubits in the UV range that have limited propagation range either in free space or optical fibers. However, other ions, such as Ba+, have modest qubit lifetimes but emit flying qubits in the visible range. In this case, using quantum frequency conversion, we can convert the flying qubit into another optical wavelength, either for hybrid quantum networking or for long-haul communication. Remarkably, a single quanta can be frequency converted using periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguides. Co-trapping a long-lived memory qubit, Yb+, alongside the Ba+ ion, for a hybrid quantum system, combines long-lived microwave clock-states entangled with telecom photons. The vision is for an intra-city quantum network linking remote situated quantum memories. We will discuss our approach and practical challenges. Dr James Siverns, University of Maryland, USA
Dr James Siverns, University of Maryland, USAJames Siverns received an MPhys at Lancaster University before going on to study in the Ion Quantum Technology group of Professor Winfried Hensinger at the University of Sussex. During this time, he was awarded a PhD for work on the design and implementation of an Yb+ ion trap experiment, the design of helical resonators for applying radio-frequency voltages to ion traps as well as work towards the optimisation of two-dimensional surface trap arrays for quantum simulation. He is currently working as a Post-Doctoral researcher at the University of Maryland in a collaboration between the Joint Quantum Institute and the Army Research Lab to develop quantum networks using frequency converted photons from trapped ions. |
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11:30 - 12:00 |
Lasers and atoms for time and position
With the development of precision laser spectroscopy, laser-cooling and –trapping of atoms, and femtosecond optical frequency combs, we now have the science and technology to measure Time and Space with unprecedented precision. Due to various constraints and bottlenecks, the capabilities of the high performance optical-atomic systems have not yet found their way into real-world applications. In contrast, Laser Atomic Molecular Optical (L-AMO) science is making a significant impact at relatively low performance levels with Chip Scale Atomic Devices. Questions arise as to how we can optimally leverage quantum systems for fundamental science and applications. One limitation of the highest performance atomic clocks is in transferring 'Time' from one location to another. We are exploring the prospects for doing time and frequency transfer using free-space laser links, with the goal of operating links between ground and space. These capabilities would support and enable future scientific missions such as cold-atom clocks in space, tests of General Relativity, high accuracy comparison of ground clocks around the world, and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. In addition, they could enhance the performance of existing GNSS navigation systems as well as providing precision measurements in earth sciences such as geodesy and sea level determinations. Professor Leo Hollberg, Stanford University, USA
Professor Leo Hollberg, Stanford University, USALeo Hollberg has been Professor of Physics at Stanford University since 2011, and is alsoassistant director of HEPL. He spent the two prior years as the CTO at AOSense. Leo spent over 20 years at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). His PhD was at the University of Colorado prior to a postdoc at AT&T Bell Labs. His research has focused on high-resolution laser spectroscopy and precision measurements, including: fs-optical frequency combs; laser-cooled and -trapped atoms; semiconductor lasers; ultra-sensitive detection of trace-gases; optical coherence effects; chip-scale-atomic-clocks and –magnetometers; optical frequency standards; and related. He is associated with the Stanford Centers on Position Navigation and Time (SCPNT), Photonics SPRC, and Woods Institute for the environment. |
Chair
Professor Timothy Spiller, University of York, UK
Professor Timothy Spiller, University of York, UK
Professor Tim Spiller moved to York in 2014 as founding Director of the York Centre for Quantum Technologies and he is now also Director of the UK Quantum Communications Hub. Prior to this he was at the University of Leeds in the roles of Head of the Quantum Information Group and Director of Research for the School of Physics and Astronomy. Prior to 2009 Spiller was Director of Quantum Information Processing (QIP) Research at HP Labs Bristol – an activity that he established in 1995 – and a Hewlett-Packard Distinguished Scientist. He has spent 30 years researching quantum theory, superconducting systems and quantum hardware and technologies. He led HP’s strategy on the commercialisation of QIP research, is an inventor on 25 patents linked to quantum technologies and applications, and was additionally a consultant inside HP on networking, communications and nanotechnology.
13:30 - 14:00 |
Photonic quantum computing
Of the various approaches to quantum computing, photons are appealing for their low-noise properties and ease of manipulation at the single qubit level; while the challenge of entangling interactions between photons can be met via measurement induced non-linearities. However, the real excitement with this architecture is the promise of ultimate manufacturability: all of the components-including sources, detectors, filters, switches, delay lines-have been implemented on chip, and increasingly sophisticated integration of these components is being achieved. We will discuss the opportunities and challenges of a fully integrated photonic quantum computer. Professor Jeremy O'Brien, University of Bristol, UK
Professor Jeremy O'Brien, University of Bristol, UKJeremy O’Brien is the director of the Centre for Quantum Photonics (CQP) at the University of Bristol. CQP’s efforts are focused on the fundamental and applied quantum mechanics at the heart of quantum information science and technology, ranging from prototypes for scalable quantum computing to generalised quantum measurements, quantum control, and quantum metrology. He received his PhD in physics from the University of New South Wales in 2002 for experimental work on correlated and confined electrons in organic conductors, superconductors and semiconductor nanostructures, and development of phosphorus in a silicon quantum computer. As a research fellow at the University of Queensland (2001-2006) he worked on quantum optics and quantum information science with single photons. He is currently Professor in Physics and Electrical Engineering at the University of Bristol. |
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14:00 - 14:30 |
Quantum photonic network and physical layer security
Quantum photonic network is an emerging platform to realise information theoretically secure communications in a resource-efficient way, approaching the optimal rate in secure bits/s/Hz/photon. The core concept is to integrate QKD for the highest security, quantum communication for power-minimum maximum-capacity communications, and a new scheme of physical layer cryptography which merges the merits of these two to realise the secrecy rate with information theoretic security into a network, so that the whole network can provide best solutions for various kinds of use cases. The basic theory behind this platform is simple, namely coding theorem for a wiretap channel scenario. It is to establish physical layer security at the maximum rate. QKD can be regarded as one extreme of branches of this concept. We present our latest results on the two core building blocks, updated Tokyo QKD Network and Tokyo Free Space Optical Testbed. Many interesting questions in theory and basic architecture remain open, and implementations have just started. We then discuss our next challenges and future perspectives. Dr Masahide Sasaki, National Institute for Information and Communications Technology, Japan
Dr Masahide Sasaki, National Institute for Information and Communications Technology, JapanMasahide Sasaki received the B.S., M.S., and PhD degrees in physics (high-Tc superconductivity) from Tohoku University, Sendai Japan, in 1986, 1988 and 1992, respectively. During 1992-1996, he worked on the development of semiconductor memory in Nippon-Kokan Company (current JFE Holdings), Kanagawa Japan. In 1996, he joined the Communications Research Laboratory, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (since 2004, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications). Since 1994, he has been working on quantum optics, quantum communication and quantum cryptography. He is presently Director of Quantum ICT Laboratory, NICT, and the Chair of Quantum ICT Forum, Japan, and a member of Japanese Society of Physics, and the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers of Japan. |
Chair
Professor Timothy Spiller, University of York, UK
Professor Timothy Spiller, University of York, UK
Professor Tim Spiller moved to York in 2014 as founding Director of the York Centre for Quantum Technologies and he is now also Director of the UK Quantum Communications Hub. Prior to this he was at the University of Leeds in the roles of Head of the Quantum Information Group and Director of Research for the School of Physics and Astronomy. Prior to 2009 Spiller was Director of Quantum Information Processing (QIP) Research at HP Labs Bristol – an activity that he established in 1995 – and a Hewlett-Packard Distinguished Scientist. He has spent 30 years researching quantum theory, superconducting systems and quantum hardware and technologies. He led HP’s strategy on the commercialisation of QIP research, is an inventor on 25 patents linked to quantum technologies and applications, and was additionally a consultant inside HP on networking, communications and nanotechnology.
15:30 - 16:00 |
Quantum information processing with photon temporal modes
Photon temporal modes are defined by sets of field orthogonal superposition states, which are composed of a continuum of monochromatic waves. They describe naturally pulsed quantum light with different spectral-temporal mode shapes, and span intrinsically a high-dimensional Hilbert space. Because they occupy only one single spatial mode, they also lend themselves to integration into current single-mode fibre communication networks. Using pulsed parametric downconversion processes much effort has been devoted in recent years to engineer sources with uncorrelated spectra, which emit single temporal mode pulsed photon pairs with no intrinsic structure. Contrariwise, we can explore the multi-mode temporal states for multi-dimensional quantum information encoding. Here we show that we can obtain complete control over the three main ingredients for quantum applications, namely the efficient generation of different types of resource states with tailored entanglement properties, the targeted manipulation and processing of temporal modes, as well as their detection. We demonstrate experimentally highly efficient devices based on non-linear waveguide structures for the preparation of temporal single and multi-mode states as well as for their manipulation by means of our new quantum pulse gate setup. By performing quantum state tomography of a four-dimensional temporal mode space we pave the way for harnessing temporal modes for future quantum communication networks. Professor Christine Silberhorn, University of Paderborn, Germany
Professor Christine Silberhorn, University of Paderborn, GermanyChristine Silberhorn is a professor at the University of Paderborn, where leads a research group in the area of integrated quantum optics. Her interests cover novel optical technologies based on quantum optics, and light-based quantum systems for use in quantum communication and quantum information processing. She has contributed to the development of engineered quantum light sources using integrated optics and ultrafast pulsed lasers, the implementation of multichannel quantum networks for photon counting and quantum simulations, and the realisation of quantum communication systems with bright light. She received her doctorate from the University of Erlangen in 2003, and worked as a postdoc at the University of Oxford from 2003 to 2004. From 2005 to 2010 she was a Max Planck Research Group Leader in Erlangen. |
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16:00 - 17:00 |
Closing remarks
Professor Artur Ekert, University of Oxford, UK
Professor Artur Ekert, University of Oxford, UKArtur Ekert is a Professor of Quantum Physics at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, and a Lee Kong Chian Centennial Professor at the National University of Singapore and also the Director of CQT (Centre for Quantum Technologies). He is one of the pioneers of quantum information science. His invention of entanglement-based quantum cryptography a quarter of century ago triggered an explosion of research efforts worldwide and continues to inspire new research directions. As well as showing that Bell’s inequalities can be used to test for eavesdropping, he has contributed to many important advances in the foundations and experimental realisations of quantum communication and computation. For his co-discovery of quantum cryptography he was awarded the 1995 Maxwell Medal and Prize by the Institute of Physics and the 2007 Hughes Medal by the Royal Society. He has worked with and advised several companies and government agencies. |