Are you interested in the opportunities for micro- nanotechnology in quantum technology? Minacned organizes a MicroNano Symposium on this topic on 29 March 2022. Speakers from Quantum photonic SME’s and academia will present the challenges in their quantum application and what chances for micro-and nanosystem technology they see. This live event will be organized in collaboration with the RF Event from FHI at Qu-Tech/TU Delft. The attendees of both events are free to meet and network during the break and drinks.
Date: March 29
Location: TU Delft, Mekelweg 5, 2628 CC Delft
Preliminary program
- 13:00-13:30 Arrival with coffee/tea
- 13:30-13:35 Opening by Douwe Geuzebroek, Lionix International
- 13:35-13:50 Qutech “Introduction of Quantum Delta”
- 13:50-14:15 Caterina Taballione, Quix Quantum “Quantum processing using integrated photonics”
- 14:15-14:40 Prof. Florian Schreck, University of Amsterdam “Opportunities in Quantum Sensing”
- 14:40-15:00 Coffee Break
- 15:00-15:25 Prof. Val Zwiller, TUDelft and Chief Scientific Officer Single Quantum “Challenges in single photon detection”
- 15:25-16:00 Open table discussion on opportunities in quantum for microsystem companies, with speakers and moderator Douwe Geuzebroek
- 16:00-17:00 Combined networking drinks with RF Event
Invited keynote speakers include industry and science partners, the moderator is MinacNed board member Douwe Geuzebroek from Lionix International B.V. After these great talks, the inspired attendees can meet and greet in a network setting with drinks to formalize future partnerships. This event is a live event in Delft, at TU Delft.
We look forward to seeing you here. You can register for the MicroNano Symposium by sending an email to: joost@fhi.nl
Please note! We have limited seats for this event. If you have registered, but cannot attend please inform the team in advance via email.
This network activity is partly financed from the MIT subsidy scheme for TKI SME reinforcement via the TKI HTSM
QuiX Quantum, the market leader in photonic quantum computing hardware, announced the commercial launch of the world’s largest photonic quantum processor. The processor, which was developed at QuiX’ facility in Enschede, the Netherlands, outperforms the current generation of processors by almost a factor of 2. The new quantum photonic processor has a record number of qumodes (20), and the highest operating specifications on the market. With this new product, QuiX Quantum continues to push the envelope of photonic quantum computing.
What is quantum computing?
Quantum computing will revolutionize the way we process information, in fields such as machine learning, chemistry and finance, because of its ability to outperform supercomputers at certain computational tasks.
A quantum photonic processor is a device that can be used to manipulate light for computations. Such processors are the heart of a photonic quantum computer – a quantum computer that uses particles of light as the basic information-carrying units.
What makes QuiX’ processor special?
There are two things that matter for a photonic processor – quantity and quality. Quantity here means the number of qumodes that the processor can support. Qumodes are the optical equivalent of qubits, the basic information carrying units in the computer – this number should be as high as possible. The quality of the processor is set by the amount of light which is lost when traversing over the processor – the less the better. QuiX Quantum has succeeded in producing a processor which has simultaneously very low optical losses and the largest number of qumodes.
With this product launch, QuiX Quantum solidifies its position as the global market leader in photonic quantum computing hardware. QuiX’ products distinguish themselves from the competition not just due to their excellent specifications, but also due to their commercial maturity: the system is plug-and-play, and compatible with a large number of other pieces of quantum photonic hardware including all photon sources and detectors currently on the market. For these reasons, QuiX’ products have become the de-facto standard for photonic quantum computing across Europe, including the French, German, British, and Hungarian quantum ecosystems.
About QuiX Quantum
QuiX Quantum is a quantum technology firm located in Enschede, the Netherlands, and is a spinout of the University of Twente, with the main investors being Forward One and Oost NL.
On Monday 14 June the Dutch State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Mona Keijzer, visited the Quantum Delta NL Center for Quantum Materials and Technology in Eindhoven. During this working visit she was shown some of the cutting edge research projects and laboratories that stand to benefit directly from the € 615 million award from the National Growth Fund.
Alongside the discussions on Quantum, there was some time to focus on the unique open infrastructure that puts The Netherlands at the forefront of innovation in quantum- and nanotechnology. Out of the € 615 million NGF award, € 150 million is reserved for maintaining and developing this infrastructure. Prof. Guus Rijnders, chairman of NanoLabNL and member of the supervisory board of Quantum Delta, explained from first-hand experience why and how NanoLabNL develops and maintains a thriving technological ecosystem.
Guus Rijnders also offered Mrs. Keijzer the first edition of the newly published NanoLabNL Manifesto; a broad testimony that focuses on the importance of open access high-tech cleanrooms, facilities and equipment, important for education, research, technology development and transfer. NanoLabNL is crucial in maintaining our leading position in many current and future science, as well as research & innovation, that rely on micro and nano fabrication. He expressed his appreciation for the financial support and urged the State Secretary to keep the subject of a healthy and viable scientific climate high on the political agenda.
A team of researchers from QuTech in the Netherlands reports realization of the first multi-node quantum network, connecting three quantum processors. In addition, they achieved a proof-of-principle demonstration of key quantum network protocols. Their findings mark an important milestone towards the future quantum internet and have now been published in Science.
The quantum internet
The power of the Internet is that it allows any two computers on Earth to be connected with each other, enabling applications undreamt of at the time of its creation decades ago. Today, researchers in many labs around the world are working towards first versions of a quantum internet – a network that can connect any two quantum devices, such as quantum computers or sensors, over large distances. Whereas today’s Internet distributes information in bits (that can be either 0 or 1), a future quantum internet will make use of quantum bits that can be 0 and 1 at the same time. ‘A quantum internet will open up a range of novel applications, from unhackable communication and cloud computing with complete user privacy to high-precision time-keeping,’ says Matteo Pompili, PhD student and a member of the research team. ‘And like with the Internet 40 years ago, there are probably many applications we cannot foresee right now.
Co-authors Matteo Pompili (left) and Sophie Hermans (right), both PhD student in the group of Ronald Hanson, at one of the quantum network nodes.
Towards ubiquitous connectivity
The first steps towards a quantum internet were taken in the past decade by linking two quantum devices that shared a direct physical link. However, being able to pass on quantum information through intermediate nodes (analogous to routers in the classical internet) is essential for creating a scalable quantum network. In addition, many promising quantum internet applications rely on entangled quantum bits, to be distributed between multiple nodes. Entanglement is a phenomenon observed at the quantum scale, fundamentally connecting particles at small and even at large distances. It provides quantum computers their enormous computational power and it is the fundamental resource for sharing quantum information over the future quantum internet. By realizing their quantum network in the lab, a team of researchers at QuTech – a collaboration between Delft University of Technology and TNO – is the first to have connected two quantum processors through an intermediate node and to have established shared entanglement between multiple stand-alone quantum processors.
Operating the quantum network
The rudimentary quantum network consists of three quantum nodes, at some distance within the same building. To make these nodes operate as a true network, the researchers had to invent a novel architecture that enables scaling beyond a single link. The middle node (called Bob) has a physical connection to both outer nodes (called Alice and Charlie), allowing entanglement links with each of these nodes to be established. Bob is equipped with an additional quantum bit that can be used as memory, allowing a previously generated quantum link to be stored while a new link is being established. After establishing the quantum links Alice–Bob and Bob–Charlie, a set of quantum operations at Bob converts these links into a quantum link Alice-Charlie. Alternatively, by performing a different set of quantum operations at Bob, entanglement between all three nodes is established.
Researchers work on one of the quantum network nodes, where mirrors and filters guide the laser beams to the diamond chip.
Ready for subsequent use
An important feature of the network is that it announces the successful completion of these (intrinsically probabilistic) protocols with a “flag” signal. Such heralding is crucial for scalability, as in a future quantum internet many of such protocols will need to be concatenated. ‘Once established, we were able to preserve the resulting entangled states, protecting them from noise,’ says Sophie Hermans, another member of the team. ‘It means that, in principle, we can use these states for quantum key distribution, a quantum computation or any other subsequent quantum protocol.’
Quantum Internet Demonstrator
This first entanglement-based quantum network provides the researchers with a unique testbed for developing and testing quantum internet hardware, software and protocols. ‘The future quantum internet will consist of countless quantum devices and intermediate nodes,’ says Ronald Hanson, who led the research team. ‘Colleagues at QuTech are already looking into future compatibility with existing data infrastructures.’ In due time, the current proof-of-principle approach will be tested outside the lab on existing telecom fibre – on QuTech’s Quantum Internet Demonstrator, of which the first metropolitan link is scheduled to be completed in 2022.
Higher-level layers
In the lab, the researchers will focus on adding more quantum bits to their three-node network and on adding higher level software and hardware layers. Pompili: ‘Once all the high-level control and interface layers for running the network have been developed, anybody will be able to write and run a network application without needing to understand how lasers and cryostats work. That is the end goal.’
Source: QuTech news item
Albert Polman, professor of nanophotonics and photovoltaics at UvA and AMOLF group leader, has received an Advanced Research Grant of 2.5 million euros from the European Research Council. Polman will use the grant to develop a new type of quantum electron microscope.
In the awarded project, Polman will use intense laser pulses to tailor the energy spectrum of high-energy electrons in a scanning electron microscope. This provides a unique way to control the quantum-mechanical electron wave packet in space and time. By combining materials excitation using these wavepackets and the detection of light that is emitted (cathodoluminescence) this creates an entirely new way of analytical electron microscopy.
ERC Advanced Research Grant
ERC Advanced Grants support excellent researchers at the career stage at which they are already established research leaders with a recognised track-record of research achievements. Candidates have to demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal. The projects must be hosted at institutions in the EU or associated countries.
The European Research Council uses the ERC Advanced grants to allow outstanding research leaders to pursue ground-breaking, high-risk projects in Europe. Read the ERC press release here.
The Dutch companies QuiX and PHIX started a collaboration in the project Qmode to overcome the packaging challenges of connecting large-scale quantum photonic processors to the outside world.
The Qmode project is funded with an MIT-R&D collaboration project grant from the Province Overijssel, dedicated to stimulate the innovation and development of products, processes and services of local SMEs working in the Dutch Top Sectors. The collaboration established in Qmode will help QuiX secure a leading position in the market for photonic quantum computing, while PHIX expands its expertise and services in the packaging and assembly of large photonic chips. The Qmode project reinforces the centrality of the Province Overijssel in the Dutch photonics landscape by recognizing and supporting the development of the innovative technologies developed by QuiX and PHIX.
PUSH THE LIMITS OF THE STATE OF THE ART IN INTEGRATED PHOTONICS
Within the Qmode project, QuiX and PHIX work together to connect a large quantum photonic processor of 50 input/output modes to the outside world. This involves more than 100 optical fiber connections, up to 5000 electrical connections, and new challenges in heat dissipation. Consequently, new techniques are required that push the limits of the current state of the art in integrated photonics packaging and assembly.
ADVANTAGE OF PHOTONIC QUANTUM COMPUTERS
Large-scale ( 50 modes) and fully reconfigurable quantum photonic processors are needed to demonstrate a real advantage of photonic quantum computers over classical supercomputers. Photonic quantum computing is attracting increasing attention as an alternative platform to quantum computers using other types of qubits such as, e.g., superconducting qubits. As these photonic processors scale to sizes involving thousands of tunable elements and hundreds of optical modes, new challenges arise in the packaging of these chips to connect them to surrounding components.
ABOUT QUIX
QuiX develops quantum photonic processors for quantum information processing and simulation. Using the proprietary TriPleX platform, QuiX provides unique quantum photonic processors that are not only large-scale and fully reconfigurable but also low loss and widely transparent to all suitable quantum light sources. QuiX demonstrated the world’s largest quantum photonic processor in a product launch last December, which can be found below.
ABOUT PHIX
PHIX Photonics Assembly offers packaging and assembly services for all major photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology platforms, such as indium phosphide, silicon photonics, silicon nitride, and planar lightwave circuit. PHIX is specialized in hybrid integration of chip-to-chip and fiber-to-chip modules and provides a one-stop-shop for optoelectronic module assembly, from design to volume production. From a state-of-the-art facility in Enschede, The Netherlands, PHIX supports the global industrial development of PIC-enabled modules.
Source article: Kennispark Twente
Persbericht 9 April 2021
Voor kunstmatige intelligentie, regeneratieve geneeskunde, infrastructuur voor gezondheidsdata, quantumtechnologie en waterstof/groene chemie komt vanuit het Nationaal Groeifonds 1,35 miljard euro beschikbaar. Het gaat om de bekostiging van 5 voorstellen (toekenning en reservering) voor onderzoek en innovatie die staatssecretaris Mona Keijzer (Economische Zaken en Klimaat) namens samenwerkende bedrijven, kennisinstellingen en overheden heeft ingediend.
Ze dragen volgens de onafhankelijke adviescommissie bij aan economische groei, het versterken van onderzoeks- en innovatie-ecosystemen en de internationale kennis- en concurrentiepositie van Nederland. Het besluit van de adviescommissie over de eerste ronde van het Nationaal Groeifonds is vandaag door de ministerraad overgenomen. Naast het ondersteunen van innovatiekracht zijn ook voorstellen voor het versterken van infrastructuur (IenW) en kennisontwikkeling (OCW) beoordeeld. Het ging in totaal om 15 aanvragen.
Staatssecretaris Mona Keijzer (EZK): “Innovatie gericht op digitalisering, verduurzaming en gezondheid heeft bij de start van het Nationaal Groeifonds direct een prominente plek verkregen. Dat is goed voor álle Nederlanders. Immers: onderzoek en ontwikkeling is de sleutel voor duurzame groei en dus onze banen en inkomsten van de toekomst.”
De staatssecretaris vervolgt: “De grootschalige publieke financiering voor deze vijf innovatieve toepassingen gaat een belangrijke bijdrage leveren om ons land welvarend te houden. Het is nodig dat de overheid een actievere rol op zich neemt om onderzoek, innovatie en technologie verder te laten ontwikkelen, startups te laten doorgroeien, talent aan te trekken, innovatie in Nederland te houden en daarmee onze internationale positie te versterken. Ik zie grote kansen voor de hierbij betrokken samenwerkende bedrijven, kennisinstellingen en overheden om deze uitdagingen te gaan verzilveren.”
De vijf bekostigde voorstellen vanuit onderzoek en ontwikkeling (R&D) en innovatie zijn:
Quantum Delta Nederland – 615 miljoen euro
De Nederlandse kennispositie op het gebied van quantumtechnologie behoort tot de wereldtop. Het voorstel om het ecosysteem verder uit te bouwen en om te zetten in bedrijvigheid wordt volledig bekostigd (615 miljoen euro). Quantum Delta Nederland werkt in Amsterdam, Delft, Eindhoven, Leiden en Twente met een grote coalitie bedrijven, universiteiten en andere kennisinstellingen aan het opzetten van de benodigde infrastructuur, het ontwikkelen van de technologie en aan de toepasbaarheid daarvan. Onderdeel van het plan is ook investeren in medewerkers voor de toekomst, zodat deze nieuwe sector straks direct over voldoende opgeleid personeel beschikt.
Quantumtechnologie maakt gebruik van twee principes: verstrengeling en superpositie. Verstrengeling betekent dat twee deeltjes niet-fysiek verbonden zijn. Als er één verandert, verandert de ander direct mee: sneller dan het licht. Dat maakt nieuwe, extreem veilige en snelle (communicatie)netwerken mogelijk. Superpositie zorgt ervoor dat qubits, in plaats van reguliere bits die alleen of 0 of 1 kunnen zijn, 0 en 1 tegelijk zijn. Dat maakt veel rekenkracht los. Berekeningen waar de huidige computers eeuwen over zou doen, kan een quantumcomputer wel.
Quantum Delta Nederland ontwikkelt die eerste quantumcomputer die door de rekensnelheid van groot belang zijn voor efficiëntere productie of transport. Maar werkt ook aan het eerste grotere quantumnetwerk en aan quantumsensoren die in staat zijn veranderingen bij zeer kleine deeltjes te meten zoals in DNA. Een andere toekomstige bijdrage is de bijdrage aan cybersecurity via een veilig (quantum)internet.
Regeneratieve geneeskunde: RegMed XB – 56 miljoen euro
Het gevraagde bedrag voor twee biomedische innovatievoorstellen wordt volledig bekostigd. Het gaat als eerste om RegMed XB (56 miljoen euro) dat vier Nederlandse pilotfabrieken (Eindhoven, Leiden, Maastricht, Utrecht) voor de ontwikkeling van regeneratieve geneeskunde gaat bouwen. Hierin staat het herstel van schade aan cellen, weefsels en organen centraal waardoor chronische ziekten kunnen worden voorkomen of genezen.
Gezondheidszorg is een wereldwijde, groeiende markt vanwege de toenemende bevolking en vergrijzing. Effectieve behandelingen met gen- en stamceltherapie zijn dus ook een grote economische kans. Het economische doel van RegMed XB is het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven in staat te stellen om samen met onderzoekers deze innovatieve producten en processen te ontwikkelen en in te spelen op een sterk groeiende buitenlandse markt.
Health-RI: infrastructuur voor gezondheidsdata – 69 miljoen euro
Het tweede voorstel binnen het thema biomedische innovatie gaat over het opzetten van een geïntegreerde en veilige nationale gezondheidsdata-infrastructuur. Het gaat hierbij om het bundelen en hergebruiken van de Nederlandse kennis op het gebied van gezondheid, niet om een data-infrastructuur voor patiëntenzorg. Het gevraagde bedrag van 69 miljoen euro vanuit de publiek-private samenwerking Health-RI wordt ook volledig bekostigd.
Data worden nu nog versnipperd beheerd door vele zorg- en wetenschapsorganisaties zoals de Universitair Medische Centra. De krachten bundelen is essentieel om sneller en goedkoper nieuwe en effectievere (gepersonaliseerde) oplossingen te ontwikkelen voor diagnose, behandeling en preventie. De grote hoeveelheid nieuwe fundamentele kennis rond leefstijl, gezondheid en ziekte gecombineerd met een technologie als kunstmatige intelligentie (AI) draagt bij aan zowel onze gezondheid als aan Nederlandse bedrijven die hiermee actief zijn.
Opschalen van waterstof en groene elektronen in industrie – 338 miljoen euro
Het voorstel Groenvermogen is gedeeltelijk bekostigd (338 miljoen euro) en is gericht op de opschaling van waterstof en toepassing van groene elektronen in energie-intensieve industrieën. Het betreft een integrale aanpak van bedrijven, overheden en kennisinstellingen in deze sector waaronder een breed samenhangend onderzoeks- en innovatieprogramma en een onderwijsagenda. Het ontwikkelen kan bovendien sterk bijdragen aan de klimaatopgave.
De publieke investeringen moeten een krachtig en flexibel waterstofecosysteem creëren dat de basis vormt voor de opschaling van waterstof en elektrochemie. Industriële clusters waar hiervoor kansen liggen, zijn Noord-Nederland, Amsterdam, Rotterdam/Moerdijk, Zeeland, Arnhem, Brainport Eindhoven en Limburg (Chemelot).
Meer onderzoek en innovaties zijn nodig om groene waterstof uiteindelijk efficiënt en goedkoper te kunnen toepassen. Zo ontstaan ook interessante verdienmodellen voor Nederland zowel in een mogelijke rol als producent of internationale distributeur.
AiNed: investeringsprogramma kunstmatige intelligentie – 276 miljoen euro
De Nederlandse AI Coalitie (NL AIC), een publieke-private samenwerking van meer dan 250 deelnemers, heeft de eerste fase van haar investeringsvoorstel voor kunstmatige intelligentie (AI) grotendeels (276 miljoen euro) bekostigd gekregen. De ambitie van het zogenoemde AiNed-programma is om Nederland in de internationale kopgroep van landen te krijgen, zowel op het gebied van maatschappelijke voorwaarden als de economische benutting van AI.
AI kan breed worden toegepast voor bijvoorbeeld efficiëntere energiesystemen, slimmere mobiliteit en logistiek of betere zorg. Het voorstel richt zich op een gecoördineerde Nederlandse aanpak om kennis en toepasbaarheid van AI via onderzoek, innovatie, valorisatie, onderwijs te versterken én te zorgen voor mensgerichte, verantwoorde toepassing van AI in de samenleving.
De focus in de aanpak voor de versnelde toepassing van AI in Nederland ligt bij sectoren die het meeste verdienvermogen opleveren: hightech industrie, mobiliteit, logistiek, energie, gezondheid en zorg. Het strategische programma investeert daarom in het aantrekken en behouden van talentvolle AI wetenschappers, scholing en onderwijs, het ontwikkelen van maatschappelijke kaders voor toepassingen en het intensiveren van deelname in Europese programma’s waardoor er ook meer EU-geld naar Nederland komt.
Tweede ronde voor financiering vanuit Nationaal Groeifonds
In totaal diende staatssecretaris Mona Keijzer zes voorstellen namens betrokken partijen in voor de eerste ronde. Het voorstel FoodSwitch is niet gehonoreerd. Het Nationaal Groeifonds heeft aangekondigd dat er dit jaar een tweede ronde volgt waarin verbeterde én nieuwe voorstellen kunnen worden ingediend voor financiering. Onderzoek en ontwikkeling (R&D) en innovatie blijft één van de pijlers van het fonds. In totaal is er 20 miljard euro vanuit het fonds beschikbaar tot 2026, in de eerste ronde is vandaag 4 miljard euro (deels voorwaardelijk) toegekend en gereserveerd.
QuiX, located at Kennispark Twente and cooperation partner of the ANP cluster for Applied Nanotechnology at the University of Twente, confirms with this sale that it is a leader in the world of light technology. With this photonics technology, they are making an important contribution to the development of the first quantum computers. These do not yet exist, but their introduction is coming ever closer. These computers are going to change the world radically, is the prediction. Just think of personalised medication. With quantum computing, it is possible to calculate exactly what the composition and quantity of a medicine should be for an individual. However, the fields of application are much broader. The technology can be used in sectors such as MedTech, the chip industry and agriculture. What is the best time to sow (precision agriculture), can you ‘smell’ cancer through your breath and therefore detect it earlier, and when does an aircraft need specific maintenance? The trick is to calculate exactly what the right moment is, with the help of a computer that can make unprecedented calculations.
Photonic processors from QuiX
QuiX develops quantum photonic processors for quantum information processing and simulation. Using the proprietary TriPleX platform, QuiX provides unique quantum photonic processors that are not only large-scale and fully reconfigurable but also low loss and widely transparent to all suitable quantum light sources. QuiX demonstrated the world’s largest quantum photonic processor in a product launch last December, which can be found here:
QONTROL as first consumer
Qontrol, based in Bristol (UK), makes control electronics and supporting infrastructure for complex, massively multi-channel photonic integrated circuits (PICs). These PICs are now finding uses from telecommunications to fundamental science, and Qontrol’s products can be found powering them, in research labs worldwide.
Jelmer Renema, CTO of QuiX: “This is great news for QuiX. Qontrol is one of the leading quantum photonics technologies companies in Europe. This shows how QuiX can meet the most stringent technological requirements for quantum photonics.”
“We are thrilled and honoured to be the first to be able to kick the tires on QuiX’s awesome new line of photonic processors,” said Dr Josh Silverstone, Qontrol’s CTO. “With this device in our Bristol labs, we will be able to better understand and serve our customer’s needs, and particularly those customers wanting to put QuiX’s technology to use. It will be a fantastic tool for us to demonstrate what our own products can do, too, with the device’s visible-light capability promising to make for fabulous live demos.”
Nano4Society Foundation
University of Twente
Hallenweg 15
7522 NH Enschede
The Netherlands
