This project is funded under the EU Quantum Flagship, which was launched in 2018 as one of the largest and most ambitious research initiatives of the European Union. With a budget of at least €1 billion and a duration of 10 years, this research flagship brings together research institutions, academia, industry, business and policy makers in a collaborative initiative on an unprecedented scale.
The award-winning EPIQUE-European Photonic Quantum Computer project aims to develop platforms for photonic quantum computing (QC). Photonic devices offer many advantages such as low decoherence and natural connectivity for distributed and general quantum computing. Recent breakthroughs in the field of so-called quantum dominance have highlighted the potential of photonics for QC.
However, successes to date have often been limited by bulky devices that are difficult to scale. The EPIQUE consortium recognises and embraces this challenge and seeks to leverage Europe's leadership in integrated optical platforms to breakthrough improvements in the quality of these devices. The consortium brings together experts from academia and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the common goal of achieving the technological breakthroughs necessary to realise a universal quantum computing platform.
The proposal abstract outlines the EPIQUE consortium's approach and highlights advances in nanofabrication that combine on a single platform (i) novel switching technology using mature silicon-based circuit technology, (ii) optimization of single-photon sources and detectors, (iii) novel interfaces using silicon nitride and directly writable modular chips, and (iv) fast low-loss switching in lithium niobate. These innovations will be used to develop three prototype photonic quantum computers demonstrating the basic building blocks for interleaving more than 10 qubits, with demonstration of key measurements and feedback capabilities, thereby achieving the required specification opening the way to scaling the systems to target more than 1000 qubits.
Commenting on the potential impact of the project on the future of quantum computing, Prof. Fabio Sciarrino of Sapienza Università di Roma, EPIQUE coordinator, said, "The results of the EPIQUE project have the ambition to set a new European standard in photonic quantum computing research. By combining state-of-the-art technologies and algorithms, we are setting viable strategies and approaches towards an innovative quantum computing platform. The impact of the developed technologies may also influence other application areas of quantum technologies such as quantum sensors and metrology."
"We feel honoured to be part of this European project," says Prof. Igor Jex from CTU Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering. "Our participation is based on our competence in theoretical quantum optics and quantum computing. In particular, our expertise in the interference of quantum states of light, which led to the proposal of so-called boson sampling from Gaussian states. This is classically an extremely hard problem, yet with favorable experimental requirements in the quantum domain. The experimental realization of our protocol by a team from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2020 is one of the most important current demonstrations of quantum dominance. The project is a framework where we meet our long-standing colleagues. Among them, our partnership with the University of Paderborn and Prof. Christine Silberhorn's group is particularly important. Our main task will be theoretical studies of decoherence, possible ways to correct them and feasible proposals for planned experiments."
The successful completion of the project would mark a major milestone in the field of optical quantum computing, which would support and stimulate a range of innovations within the European Union. The EPIQUE consortium looks forward to contributing to the global quantum revolution and moving Europe at the forefront of quantum technology development.
All project partners will meet at the Sapienza University of Rome on 18-19 January 2024 to start the scientific activities.
The EPIQUE consortium consists of 18 leading partners in the field of quantum technologies, including academia and SMEs. Their joint efforts aim to stimulate breakthrough advances in quantum computing using photonic technology with a focus on scalability and practical applicability.
- UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA (UNIROMA1) Italy
- CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE (CNR) Italy
- UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE (UNIFI) Italy
- CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS (CNRS) France
- COMMISSARIAT A L’ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES (CEA) France
- QUANDELA France
- SINGLE QUANTUM BV (Single Quantum) Netherlands
- UNIVERSITAET PADERBORN (UPB) Germany
- RUPRECHT-KARLS-UNIVERSITAET HEIDELBERG (UHEI) Germany
- QUBIG GMBH (QUBIG) Germany
- UNIVERSITAT WIEN (UNIVIE) Austria
- DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET (DTU) Denmark
- NKT PHOTONICS A/S Denmark.
- LABORATORIO IBERICO INTERNACIONAL DE NANOTECNOLOGIA LIN (INL) Portugal
- NAUKOWA I AKADEMICKA SIEC KOMPUTEROWA - PANSTWOWY INSTYTUT (NASK) Poland
- CESKE VYSOKE UCENI TECHNICKE V PRAZE (CVUT) Czechia
- UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK - NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, CORK (UCC) Ireland
- INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUM (IMEC) Belgium
More info at EC Cordis Website.