Project description
Breaking barriers in quantum technologies with electro-optic interconnects
As quantum technologies advance, their potential to revolutionise computing and communication grows, with an estimated market value of EUR 1 billion. However, the limitations of microwave-based quantum systems present challenges, particularly in scaling quantum processors to meet societal demands. These systems require operation in ultra-cold environments, creating issues with wiring, electronics, and heat loads. To overcome these barriers, quantum information needs to be transferred from superconducting processors to room-temperature environments. The EIC-funded CIELO project will develop electro-optic interconnects for coherent quantum information transfer. This combines integrated photonics, advanced materials, and superconducting qubits, enabling a range of innovations like optical detection and laser cooling. By using cavity electro-optics, CIELO paves the way for scalable, modular quantum processors.
Objective
Electro-optic technologies have emerged as one of the leading platforms in both classical and quantum communication landscapes. The advent of circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) based on low-loss Josephson junction circuits has led to spectacular scientific breakthroughs in quantum science and technology. In recent years, these breakthroughs have been translated into commercial quantum computing efforts worldwide, targeting a market with an estimated value of 1 billion Euro. Despite these achievements, there are fundamental limitations to quantum technologies based solely on microwaves. Operating in a millikelvin environment, the space required for wiring and electronics as well as the associated heat loads are barriers for scaling up the quantum processors to the size needed to address societal challenges.
Electro-optic interconnects capable of coherently distributing and transferring quantum information from superconducting processors to a room temperature environment would address this challenge. Such devices would enable quantum processors to be scaled up in a modular fashion, which will be key to realizing complex and capable quantum machines that remain controllable and error-correctable. Moreover, these microwave-optical interfaces would also form the basis for efficient laser-driven microwave technologies relevant to sensing applications, such as microwave astronomy or robust and low-noise microwave amplification.
In CIELO, we aim to lay the foundation for laser-based manipulation of microwave fields using cavity electro-optics, enabling amplification, quantum-limited optical detection, interconversion, qubit readout, laser cooling and masing, in stark contrast to the commonly used electrical techniques. We will leverage a combination of unique expertise in integrated photonics, advanced materials, and superconducting qubits to realize cavity electro-optic devices operating in the quantum regime.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomy
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcomputer hardwarequantum computers
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticslaser physics
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssuperconductivity
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Call for proposal
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2024-PATHFINDEROPEN-01
See other projects for this callFunding Scheme
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinator
3400 Klosterneuburg
Austria