QUROPE Quantum Information Processing and Communication in Europe

We now have the ability to build electronic devices at the nanoscale and operate them at millikelvin temperatures, and this has opened up the possibility to design, operate and utilise devices based on quantum physics. Quantum devices have been used in electrical metrology for decades and now nanoscale single-electron current sources are about to take their place in the realization of the ampere.

The project addresses quantum devices in hybrid systems formed using carbon nanotubes, graphene, and 3He superfluid, all with particular topological characteristics. Topological properties of these non-trivial materials can be drastically modified by introducing defects or interfaces into them, like single layer graphene into superfluid helium, boron nitride between graphene sheets, carbon nanotubes in 3He superfluid, or misfit dislocation layers into HOPG graphite.

NEMSQED is a research effort where superconducting and nanomechanical systems ares studied near the quantum limit.  The aim is to forge a hybrid macroscopic quantum system of superconducting qubits, electrical resonators and nanomechanical resonators, with highly beneficial potential applications in quantum information processing and quantum communication.

The project is an individual European Research Council (ERC) grant allocated to Dr. Mika Sillanpää, currently working as a Professor at the Department of Applied Physics at Aalto University.

Our expertise is to fabricate various nano-electronic devices using our £120M clean room complex, the Southampton Nanofabrication Centre (http://www.southampton-nanofab.com) opened in 2009, one of the best university-based fabrication facilities in Europe. The cleanroom supports cutting-edge research activities in nano-electronics, photonics, and fibre optics. The full CMOS front-end and backend process tools are available for 6-inch wafers.

At the Amsterdam conference the Joint Research Centre (JRC) Deputy Director General Maive Rute announced at the Amsterdam Conference on Quantum Technologies, an issue paper titled "Quantum Technologies: Implications for European Policy".

In today's blog post of Commissioner Oettinger features the discussion between prof. Tommaso Calarco, Institute of Complex Quantum Systems, and Michael Bolle, President of R&D, Robert Bosch GmbH, concerning the need of new cooperation models to bridge the "valley of death".

About Us

Increasingly smaller and faster, devices for information processing are everywhere. Nevertheless, the impressive development of such technologies is threatened if the possibilities offered by quantum physics are not considered.

Yesterday, During the visit at QuTech, Delft, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society, Gunther H. Oettinger, and Minister of Economic Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Henk Kamp, stated that action is needed to ensure Europe remains a world leader in Quantum Technology.

To enhance overall interest, activity and investment in Quantum Technologies across Europe, the Netherlands is planning to organize a conference in Amsterdam in cooperation with the European Commission. The aim of the conference is to foster collaboration between European scientific and industry communities, showcase innovation and provide a platform to present a comprehensive vision and roadmap across the spectrum of Quantum Technologies. The Presidency will report the conclusions of the Conference to the Competitiveness Council in May 2016.