Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Photon Emitting Gated Arrays for Scalable On-chip quantum Systems

Project description

Controlling quantum dot generation in 2D materials

Quantum light emitters – quantum dots – have attracted a great deal of interest for many varied applications including quantum communication. However, their random occurrences in conventional III-V compound semiconductor materials make it difficult to produce quantum arrays close together, while maintaining the high quality of quantum light sources. The EU-funded PEGASOS project will create large scale arrays of these quantum emitters in less conventional semiconductors: atomically thin 2D materials. Their technique will enable them to produce large quantities of robust single photon emitters on demand. The deterministic generation of quantum sources will create new opportunities for hybrid structures of photonic and electronic functions layered together. The quantum arrays will be fully scalable and compatible with silicon chip fabrication.

Objective

Single photons play in important part in the development of quantum technologies, particularly in the fields of communication and networks. There are many potential candidates of single-photon sources with varying degrees of quality and efficiency, and there is a collective push towards catapulting solid-state quantum light sources into real applications needed for the development of quantum technologies. To that end, the current ERC Consolidator Grant (from which this PoC proposal draws highly) focuses on semiconductor spin-photon interfaces and aims to develop them where milestones such as distant spin qubit entanglement can be demonstrated. While the majority of the deliverables have been reached, the key challenge of scalability still causes concern for conventional III-V-based semiconductor quantum dots. Conventional semiconductor quantum dots individually have stellar optical properties, but their random occurrence and their requirement to be embedded deep inside the host semiconductor makes it difficult to devise large-scale on-chip quantum devices with integrated photonic circuitry beyond a few quantum dots. During the ERC Consolidator Grant we have invented a completely new way to create quantum dots in other, less conventional semiconductors: atomically thin 2d materials. With this technique we are able to create very large quantum dot arrays with unprecedented location accuracy and comfortably in the thousands and have demonstrated all-electrical triggering of single photons. The invention is patented and there is a very recent spin-off company aiming to commercialise this system for high-yield large-band with quantum light sources. The immediate application areas are space QKD and quantum random number generation.

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: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum Pilot

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2019-PoC

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 150 000,00
Address
TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom

See on map

Region
East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

No data

Beneficiaries (1)

My booklet 0 0