Silicon-based photonic chips. Credit: AIT/B. Schrenk
Bernhard Schrenk, head of the Photonics Research Group in the Center for Digital Safety & Security at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, has been awarded one of the coveted ERC Proof-of-Concept Grants for his research into a new method for implementing quantum optical transmitters based on silicon. This new method for generating quantum states, which was successfully demonstrated for the first time at AIT, will enable the future roll-out of the European quantum communication network in cost-sensitive segments, which is currently under construction. Schrenk laid the foundations for this with the help of an ERC Starting Grant, which he received in 2018. Thanks to the ERC Proof-of-Concept Grant, he can now put these findings into practice and test them.
The prestigious ERC grants are a special recognition of Bernhard Schrenk's many years of research, which is among the absolute best in Europe. For his research institution, the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria's largest research and technology organization, this European funding award is a special recognition. Schrenk has been working on photonics at the AIT since 2013, including topics relating to optical telecommunications, 6G wireless communication technology, optical neural networks and quantum technology.
The use of light as an information carrier for electrical signals not only makes it possible to increase the frequency of the optical carrier wave by a factor of 10,000 and thus enable optical telecommunications, which means that record data rates of over 10 petabits per second can be transported via an optical fiber. In addition, light allows the use of quantum optical phenomena, whereby comparatively simple photonic circuits can be used for the implementation of quantum optical systems, such as those required for quantum key distribution in quantum communication networks.
"Although the first successful demonstrations of chip-based quantum systems are already available, they are still too complex and expensive to ultimately bring quantum technology to the household," says Schrenk. He is therefore pursuing an approach in his research that enables a disruptive reduction in complexity. In order to explore the potential of this approach, he has now been awarded the ERC Proof-of-Concept Excellence Grant MOSQITO - "Monolithic Silicon Quantum Communication Circuitry".
"The AIT has been conducting research in the field of quantum communication for many years and plays a leading role in Europe. AIT's goal is to turn excellent basic research into real innovations that benefit people and strengthen Austria as a business location by increasing the level of technological maturity. With this award from the ERC to Bernhard Schrenk, the AIT has gained another important building block in the innovation chain from basic research to applied research and industrial development in quantum communication, and I would like to express my warmest congratulations," emphasizes Andreas Kugi, Scientific Director of the AIT.
"We are proud that we can further expand our global photonics technology development for the IT and telecom industry as an important contribution to Austria as a high-tech industrial location through another ERC grant for Bernhard Schrenk, one of the world's leading experts in the field of photonics," says Helmut Leopold, Head of Center for Digital Safety & Security at AIT.
Optical chips made from "conventional" stardust
In contrast to light modulation or detection, the generation of light requires special compound semiconductors with a so-called "direct band gap", which enable the efficient generation of light by injecting charge carriers. However, these compound semiconductors, such as indium phosphide or gallium arsenide, require heavy elements from our periodic table for their production. "As these heavy elements are only generated by very rare stellar events such as a supernova or the collision of neutron stars, they are only present in very limited quantities on our planet, even after more than 13 billion years, and are classed as critical raw materials." In addition, these elements from groups III and V of the periodic table are not compatible with the production centers of consumer electronics, which are primarily focused on silicon.
This is where Schrenk's work comes in, which is dedicated to the research and applicability of a silicon-based light source. Schrenk's team demonstrated this for the first time for the application of quantum key distribution in the course of a proof-of-principle experiment from his ERC Starting Grant, which he was awarded in 2018. Although such a photon source cannot keep up with conventional Group III and V light sources, this is not a problem for quantum optical applications: "While optical emitters in telecom systems have to provide millions of photons to encode a single information state, quantum optical systems only require a few photons," explains Schrenk. "This can be achieved with emitters made of silicon, which is a light element of the periodic table that is bred in even the smallest stars and is therefore abundantly available." By realizing a silicon-based light source, a monolithic approach for quantum optical integrated circuits can be achieved that is fully compatible with the wafer fabs of the electronics industry and also allows the seamless co-integration of electronic processors. This holds out the prospect of extremely cost-effective production of chip-based quantum optical systems, such as those required for information-theoretically secure quantum cryptography.
About Bernhard Schrenk
Bernhard Schrenk, 42, has been working in the Enabling Digital Technologies research group at the Center for Digital Safety & Security at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology for ten years, focusing on photonics for optical tele- and quantum communication, opto-electronic signal processing in artificial neural networks and high-frequency technology in the 6G range. In 2007, as part of his Master's thesis, he worked in the group of the then Nobel Prize winner Anton Zeilinger at the University of Vienna on the realization of the first network demonstration of a quantum key distribution system based on entangled photons.
Prior to his career at AIT, he was a senior researcher at the Department for Electronic and Computer Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens. In his professional career, Schrenk has been awarded several grants and prizes such as the Marie Curie CIG Grant, the Student Innovation Award of the European Technology Platform Photonics21 and the ERC Starting Grant. He holds several patents with colleagues. He completed his Master's thesis at the Vienna University of Technology with honors. He completed his doctorate at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona Cum Laude in the field of signal theory and optical telecommunications.
About Quantum Key Distribution
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) uses the principles of quantum mechanics to secure communication. The keys for decoding information are sent using photons or quantum light particles. Any attempt to intercept these quantum keys interrupts their state and warns users of possible eavesdropping. This technology ensures fundamentally secure data exchange. QKD represents the pinnacle of cyber security.
In the field of quantum cryptography, the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has gained an excellent international reputation as a specialist in quantum-secured terrestrial and satellite-based communication, as coordinator of major European projects such as the "OpenQKD" project, and as a strong partner in several highly competitive European "Quantum Flagship" projects such as EuroQCI or PETRUS. The work of quantum researchers is currently focused primarily on miniaturizing the devices required for quantum communication. Together with European partners, the AIT is coordinating the EU-funded EuroQCI project QCI-CAT, which aims to establish a quantum communication network in Austria.
About AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria's largest research and technology organization with currently 1,527 employees and an operating performance of almost 200 million Euro. The AIT focuses on the research areas of "sustainable and resilient infrastructures", particularly in the fields of energy, transportation and health, as well as the "digital transformation of industry and society" and works closely with universities, industry and public institutions.
Further information:
- AIT research group Enabling Digital Technologies: https://www.ait.ac.at/edt
- Quantum Flagship – EuroQCI Initiative: https://qt.eu/ecosystem/quantum-communication-infrastructure
- PETRUS: https://petrus-euroqci.eu/
- Project Open QKD: https://openqkd.eu/
- Project QCI-CAT: https://qci-cat.at
Contact:
Michael W. Mürling
Marketing and Communications Manager
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
Center for Digital Safety & Security
T +43 (0)50550-4126
michael.muerling(at)ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at