QUROPE Quantum Information Processing and Communication in Europe

Laser fabrication of photonic structures

The activity of the team Atom Interferometry and Inertial Sensors of SYRTE - Observatoire de Paris concerns the applications of atom interferometry to high precision measurements, and especially to the realization of inertial sensors. The principle of the duality between wave and matter postulates that to each particle a wave-packet (called de Broglie wave) can be associated, which can be manipulated in the same way as light in optics. For example, these atom wave-packets can be split or recombined to make them interfere.

Information is physical. During the last decade, this basic concept has led to a revolution in our understanding of quantum mechanics. Less attention has been paid so far to equally important implications of this principle in statistical mechanics of small systems, where statistical fluctuations are large and make their thermodynamic properties extremely dependent on the information available. The most basic process illustrating the importance of information to statistical systems is the information-to-energy conversion in the famous Maxwell’s Demon (MD).

TQM group’s goal is to explore, predict and design novel phases of matter where quantum mechanics play key role. Our main efforts at the moment are focused on the theory of topological matter, including topological metals, insulators and superconductors. Realizations of topological matter hold promise in revolutionarizing quantum information and nanoelectronics in the future.

The group works on theoretical problems in quantum transport. Central research topics include quantum engineering with dynamic single-electron sources as well as electrical noise and fluctuations in nano-scale conductors. We are also interested in correlations and entanglement in many-body systems as well as the statistical mechanics of small quantum devices.

QCD group carries out experimental research on silicon and superconducting quantum nanoelectronics. The main research goals include engineered quantum environments, single-electron pumps, and microwave photon detectors. In addition, QCD is known for its work on monopoles in ultracold atomic gases.

• micro- and nanomechanical resonators near the quantum ground state of moving objects
• superconducting junctions and resonators

This project is at the intersection of photonics, RF signal processing and phononics, aiming to achieve an all-optical phononic circuit using coherent phonons as the state variable. The concept is based on cavity optomechanics (OM) to develop GHz- frequency in-chip phononic circuits for room temperature operation.

The QUANTIHEAT project tackles issues related to thermal metrology at the nanoscale and aims at delivering validated standards, methods and modeling tools for nanothermal designs and measurements.