PiQ – Photon source for Integrated Quantum processors

Project duration: 1.09.2023 – 31.12.2024

Enabling technologiesPhotons

We’re improving photon sources for optical quantum computers

We analyse the improvement potentials of the photon source of DLR OS and QuiX Quantum’s photonic quantum processor in order to further improve their respective technologies and thus extend technological advances. In this way, we are making an important contribution to developing core technologies for realising the first scalable, integrated optical quantum computer in Germany and Europe overall.

In this project, we are tuning sources for single photonic quantum bits at DLR for use in a commercial photonic processor. The sources at DLR are based on a phenomenon in which photons from a laser are converted into a pair of entangled photons in a special crystal. The source parameters of the photon source and the fast electronic control are tuned to allow scalability of the approach. The goal is an analysis of improvement potentials of the two key components photon source and photonic quantum processor, which will enable further improvement of the respective technologies and thus extend technology advances.

Motivation

The scaling potential of photonic quantum computing platforms is extremely promising and has already produced several recent high-profile demonstrations. However, in order to exploit the full potential of this technology in the future, it is crucial to first have suitable components such as high-performance quantum processors and efficient photon sources. In this project, our main focus is to link the development and functionality of the photon sources developed at DLR with DLR QCI contract partner QuiX Quantum’s quantum processors and to test their integration. Overall, this project is an important step towards the realisation of a scalable, powerful and efficient photonic quantum computer. It provides an opportunity to develop and test innovative technologies that can form the basis for future advances in quantum computing.

Challenge

Individual photons, as the fundamental units of light, can carry quantum information in the form of photonic states. Such a photonic state can then represent a single quantum bit in a photonic quantum computer. For such a quantum computer to function, it is first important that a sufficiently large number of photons can be generated simultaneously and that they are indistinguishable from each other. Subsequently, these photons must be fed into a photonic circuit and processed further. So far, however, no photon sources exist that meet all the requirements for photonic quantum computers. Such sources are still the subject of basic research at DLR. This project addresses the adaptation of sources researched at DLR for use in photonic quantum computers, in particular by testing the interaction of photon sources developed at DLR with a commercial photonic processor from QuiX Quantum.