Fibre Wavelength Quantum Light Sources

Lead Research Organisation: University of Sheffield
Department Name: Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Abstract

The Sheffield team and the National Centre for III-V technologies will develop quantum dot single photon emitters for
Quantum Communications. The overall project aims are to demonstrate the controlled emission of entangled photons from
an LED structure emitting at a fibre-compatible wavelengths. Devices operating at this wavelength will be required to
achieve commercially significant Quantum Communications technologies. There is a significant epitaxy challenge in
developing this technology by Metal Organic Vapour Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) at these wavelengths and there have been
no demonstrations of entangled LEDs to date.
The Sheffield team will develop Indium Arsenide on Indium Phosphide quantum dots by MOVPE , complementing and
contrasting with the development by the Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) method in the Cavendish laboratory. To
demonstrate single photon emitters at these wavelengths is challenging and there is a need to investigate the properties of
the quantum dots by both techniques to understand how the quantum dots form and what controls the fundamental
properties that will generate photon entanglement; including aspects such as the exciton spin splitting value. The work will
build significantly on the prior work carried out at shorter wavelengths in Sheffield, Toshiba and Cavendish laboratories
using a different material system. In particular at Sheffield the result of quantum dot structures developed under an EPSRC
Programme Grant will benefit the project strongly since many of the physical properties may be similar. The demonstration
of high quality devices at this wavelength will be a significant milestone in matching Quantum Communications to the
current non-quantum fibre-communications infrastructure.

Planned Impact

Exploitable outcomes will include IPR and technology related to single photon generation, growth of quantum dots and
fabrication of quantum devices. There is also the potential for IPR on the application of the device to areas such as
quantum key distribution, quantum relays/repeaters, quantum sensors, quantum imaging and photonic quantum computing.
We will seek to exploit the outcomes of the project through a close interaction with the EPSRC Quantum Technology Hubs,
especially those which have a strong focus upon photonic technologies and to which we can make a strong collaborative
contribution. It should be noted that none of the EPSRC Hubs are funded to develop quantum light sources. In
collaboration with the Quantum Communication Hub (co-ordinated by York) we will develop systems for quantum
relays/repeaters and quantum digital signatures based upon fibre wavelength entangled LEDs developed in this project.
Dissemination will be achieved through patent publications, scientific papers (eg recent reports by the applicants on
quantum light generation have been published in Nature, Nature Photonics, Nature Communications and Applied Physics
Letters) and presentations at relevant international conferences (such as Photonics West, ECOC, OFC, CLEO, CLEO
Europe, QCrypt, QCMC).
The know-how developed in the project will be added to the capabilities of the National Centre for III-V Technologies and
will be available as a resource for the broader UK academic community through EPSRC, TSB or EU research grants. This
significantly increases the leverage of the project through dissemination into a broader set of R&D projects and other
applications areas such as telecommunication lasers and detectors.
TREL chair the Industry Standardisation Group (ISG) on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) of the European
Telecommunication Standards Institute. We expect the outcomes of this project to contribute to the active work item of the
ISG on Components used for QKD. This is defining how quantum components should be tested and specified for QT
system integrators, which is an important dissemination activity for stimulating QT component supply chains.
We will disseminate to industry and potential customers via press releases and feature articles in the specialist press (such
as Photonics Spectra), taking part in InnovateUK dissemination events and joint publicity with the EPSRC QT Hubs. An
Exploitation Advisory Group will advise the project on exploitation of project results. The initial membership of the EAG
includes representatives from the EPSRC QT Hubs and senior industrialists and researchers with experience of technology
and business innovation.
We will explore exploitation in schemes for eye-safe quantum enhanced LIDAR in the Quantum Imaging Hub (Glasgow).

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description The project aimed to develop quantum light emitters for optical communications. Whilst such devices had been demonstrated at short optical wavelengths, there has been no demonstration of this at the most important commercial wavelength of 1550nm which is used in optical fibre communications. The project has led to the first demonstration of quantum entangled photons emitted from an LED at these important wavelengths. This is the first demonstration of such an effect and will have a major impact on the potential for ultra secure optical communications through fibre networks. The results have been published in Nature Communications in February 2018 as well as in several international conferences.
Exploitation Route The results provide a new type of device for quantum communications at fibre wavelengths. The results are already been considered for further exploitation through the Qauntum Technology Hub at York as well as internally with our Industrial partner Toshiba and since 2017 with BT laboratories who will seek to exploit the results in Quantum communications networks.
Sectors Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)

Electronics

Security and Diplomacy

 
Description The results of this project have first of all led to two follow up project funded by InnovateUk with the same industrial sponsor and have also facilitated discussions on addition collaborative opportunities. The work has also expanded the scale and scope of quantum science in the University of Sheffield towards communications wavelengths which has significant commercial potential given the need for secure internet communications. The outputs of the current project have been introduced to the Quantum Communications Hub in York, and to major industrial partners who will be able to exploit these results. As a result in the follow-up project on quantum Networks, BT labs have joined as an advisory partnership and will make available significant fibre network resources in order to demonstrate real world applications of the research. This has then fed into the more general impact narrative of the National Quantum Technologies programme. The work has also been presented to international audiences, and has been used in supporting the role of Toshiba Labs in Cambridge with the parent company in Japan. Toshiba are very visible and active in promoting quantum technologies and communications to a more general audience and this project has contributed to this narrative in terms of a step closer to commercialisation of this highly topical subject of secure quantum communications. Two significant journal publications have resulted from the work with the latest being a Nature Communications publication demonstrating the first fibre wavelength entangled LEDs. The breakthrough's made in the project have enabled the University of Sheffield to be included in the Phase II proposal for the National Quantum Communications Hub at York which has been successfully funded in July 2019.
First Year Of Impact 2019
Sector Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Security and Diplomacy
Impact Types Societal

 
Description Accelerating the impact of quantum technologies
Amount £249,238 (GBP)
Funding ID 70628-492126 
Organisation Innovate UK 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2017 
End 12/2017
 
Description Agile Quantum Safe Communications (AQuaSec)
Amount £5,802,826 (GBP)
Funding ID 104615 
Organisation Innovate UK 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2018 
End 03/2021
 
Description QFoundry (Quantum Foundry)
Amount £5,777,425 (GBP)
Organisation Innovate UK 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2020 
End 08/2023
 
Description Quantum Technology Programme
Amount £418,616 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/R029253/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2018 
End 03/2019
 
Title Growth of Quantum Dots by Metal Organic Vapour Phase Epitaxy 
Description The project has led to new techniques for the development of semiconductor quantum dots by MOVPE process 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2016 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact The new techniques have been made available to the wider semiconductor community in the UK through their incorporation in the suite of tools and capabilities available in the National Epitaxy Facility, one of EPSRC's National Research Facilities based in the University of Sheffield. 
URL http://www.nationalepitaxyfacility.co.uk
 
Company Name AegiQ 
Description AegiQ develops quantum computing photonics hardware. 
Year Established 2019 
Impact Early stage company with seed round investment and involvement in a number of Innovate UK quantum technology projects. The company is part of a growing supply chain development within the UK. Has approximately 4 full time scientific staff with post-investment recruitment underway.
Website https://aegiq.com/
 
Description Conference and worship presentations (10 national and international) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact 10 talks were presented by the consortium in the period 2015-2016. This included a number of international workshops and invited talks at conference.

1. Single Photon Workshop, Geneva, July 2015 (poster)
2. MSS, Sendai, Japan, July 2015 (poster)
3. SSDM, Hokkaido, Japan, September 2015 (invited talk)
4. Qcrypt 2016, Tokyo, Sept invited talk)
5. Frontiers in Optics, San Jose, October 2015 (invited talk)
6. Engineering of Quantum Systems, Linz, December 2015 (invited talk)
7. UK Semiconductors, Sheffield, July 2016 (poster)
8. International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors, Beijing, July 2016 (talk)
9. Solid State Devices and Materials, Tsukuba, September 2016 (talk)
10. Single Photon Single Spin Workshop, Oxford, September 2017 (industry talk)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015,2016
 
Description Presentation of results to Quantum Technology Hub 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The results of the project were reported to the Quantum Communications Hub in York, and simultaneously to the major industry partners in the Hub. In particular the further exploitation of the results in Quantum Networks was discussed and further follow up activities in this context are under discussion.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016