Grant: Alliance Grants

Quantum technologies are playing an increasingly important role in our society and the limitations imposed by classical networks are becoming apparent. To mention one notable example, the development of quantum computers offer a new computational paradigm relying on quantum mechanical phenomena to solve problems that would otherwise be provably hard for classical computers. In this context, the realization of quantum networks would not only enable quantum secure communications, but would also allow connecting computing nodes, further facilitating the development of quantum computers. Nevertheless, since quantum information cannot be copied, processing quantum information poses numerous challenges. It is thus necessary to involve various quantum systems in order to precisely control and manipulate the information across different modes such as optical photon and microwave signals. Hybrid quantum interfaces, combining superconducting circuits, solid-state systems and photonic devices, constitute a central element for quantum computing and communication. Yet, their design, development, and fabrication remains extremely challenging and require the collaboration of multiple partners.With the development of key technologies for the quantum internet as main goal, this NSERC Canadian consortium for Quantum-Engineered Sources and Transduction (CanQuEST) proposal is uniquely positioned to tackle this challenge. Indeed, the team brings together experts on complementary aspects of quantum science and technology. Concretely, by combining multiple aspects of quantum technologies such as quantum circuits, photonics, micromechanics and artificial atoms, we propose to realize hybrid quantum interfaces operating between microwave frequencies and telecommunication wavelengths. CanQuEST will focus on two applications with the development of bidirectional transducers as well as the generation of complex states of interest for quantum sensing and communication. Such enabling devices are still critically missing to realize quantum network capable of processing information between different quantum nodes.