The full-blown quantum computer promises to solve global challenges in the health, chemistry, biology and energy sectors. Several technological platforms for constructing the quantum computer are emerging, with different strengths and drawbacks. The companies PsiQuantum and Quandela are pursuing a photonic platform, where the quantum bits (qubits) are encoded on single photons. To produce the single photons, Quandela employs a solid-state semiconductor-based single-photon source emitting single photons to be subsequently used in the photonic quantum computation. However, a main limitation for the photonic quantum computer platform preventing upscaling to a large number of qubits is the low efficiency of existing single-photon sources.

The Innovation Fund Denmark Grand Solutions "QLIGHT" project addresses the existing commercial need for single-photon sources featuring near-unity efficiency to construct the quantum computer. Benefitting from expert theoretical knowledge of light-matter interaction, DTU will design, fabricate and characterize single-photon sources with world-record efficiency enabling construction of a photonic quantum computer with >100 qubits. The semiconductor material needed for the fabrication process will be produced by DFM using a recently installed molecular beam epitaxy machine. The devices fabricated at DTU will be implemented in a photonic quantum computer and tested by Quandela.

 

Total budget: DKK 23.4 million.

Innovation Fund Denmark's investment: DKK 18.9 million

Project start: May 1, 2025

Project end: April 30, 2029

DTU Electro - Technical University of Denmark. https://electro.dtu.dk/ 

DFM - Danish Fundamental Metrology Institute. https://dfm.dk/ 

Quandela. https://www.quandela.com/  

https://electro.dtu.dk/news/quantum-race-at-the-speed-of-light?id=d1441ebb-5f6c-495a-b522-26fe7e514e30
https://innovationsfonden.dk/en/news/quantum-race-speed-light-new-danish