Quantum Technology Capital: Quantum Photonic Integrated Circuits (QuPIC)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
We will establish a UK quantum device prototyping service, focusing on design, manufacture, test, packaging and rapid device prototyping of quantum photonic devices. QuPIC will provide academia and industry with an affordable route to quantum photonic device fabrication through commercial-grade fabrication foundries and access to supporting infrastructure. QuPIC will provide qualified design tools tailored to each foundry's fabrication processes, multiproject wafer access, test and measurement, and systems integration facilities, along with device prototyping capabilities. The aim is to enable greater capability amongst quantum technology orientated users by allowing adopters of quantum photonic technologies to realise advanced integrated quantum photonic devices, and to do so without requiring in-depth knowledge.
We will bring together an experienced team of engineers and scientists to provide the required breadth of expertise to support and deliver this service.
Four work packages deliver the QuPIC service. They are:
WP1 - Design tools for photonic simulation and design software, thermal and mechanical design packages and modelling
WP2 - Wafer fabrication - Establishing the qualified component library for the different fabrication processes and materials and offering users a multi-project wafer service
WP3 - Integrated device test and measurement - Automated wafer scale electrical and optical characterisation, alignment systems, cryogenic systems to support single-photon detector integration)
WP4 - Packaging and prototyping - Tools for subsystem integration into hybrid and functionalised quantum photonic systems and the rapid prototyping of novel, candidate component designs before wafer-scale manufacturing and testing
The design tools (WP1) will provide all the core functionality and component libraries to allow users to design quantum circuits, for a range of applications. We will work closely with fabrication foundries (WP2) to qualify the design libraries and to provide affordable access to high-quality devices via a multi-project wafer approach, where many users share the fabrications costs. Specialist test and measurement facilities (WP3) will provide rapid device characterization (at the wafer level), whilst packaging and prototyping tools (WP4) will allow the assembly of subsystems into highly functionalised quantum photonic systems.
We will bring together an experienced team of engineers and scientists to provide the required breadth of expertise to support and deliver this service.
Four work packages deliver the QuPIC service. They are:
WP1 - Design tools for photonic simulation and design software, thermal and mechanical design packages and modelling
WP2 - Wafer fabrication - Establishing the qualified component library for the different fabrication processes and materials and offering users a multi-project wafer service
WP3 - Integrated device test and measurement - Automated wafer scale electrical and optical characterisation, alignment systems, cryogenic systems to support single-photon detector integration)
WP4 - Packaging and prototyping - Tools for subsystem integration into hybrid and functionalised quantum photonic systems and the rapid prototyping of novel, candidate component designs before wafer-scale manufacturing and testing
The design tools (WP1) will provide all the core functionality and component libraries to allow users to design quantum circuits, for a range of applications. We will work closely with fabrication foundries (WP2) to qualify the design libraries and to provide affordable access to high-quality devices via a multi-project wafer approach, where many users share the fabrications costs. Specialist test and measurement facilities (WP3) will provide rapid device characterization (at the wafer level), whilst packaging and prototyping tools (WP4) will allow the assembly of subsystems into highly functionalised quantum photonic systems.
Planned Impact
QuPIC will provide the world's first open access quantum photonic manufacturing facility and deliver a capability that does not yet exist worldwide. By taking the lead in such an enterprise we will ensure that the UK stays at the forefront of this emerging technology. This capital investment will not only ensure that UK academics and industries continue to lead the quantum revolution, it will accelerate UK research, accelerate the rate of impact and deployment of quantum technologies, and it will enable a step-change in our adoption of this ground breaking technology by enabling easy access to ground breaking quantum photonic devices. Through this programme the UK will be perfectly positioned to capitalise on the £270m investment into Quantum Technologies and accelerate science, through technology to market, where it will enable new high growth businesses to establish in the UK, providing jobs and wealth creation opportunities and new technologies that will help addresses some of societies most pressing problems.
Industrial uptake of quantum technologies has been relatively slow to date. By providing a fabless route to high-quality devices we anticipate increased industrial activity in photonic quantum technologies. QuPIC will stimulate new industry and businesses by massively reducing the costs to entry for this technology, with the anticipation that start-up companies will be a heavy user of this facility.
QuPIC will be founded in the Nanoscience and Quantum Information Centre at the University of Bristol. It will become an epicentre of activity that will benefit industry, the National QT Hubs and wider academic community. By providing an affordable, low-risk and rapid route to quantum device manufacture, QuPIC will accelerate innovation and delivery of quantum technologies as well as providing training workshops in all aspects of the design process. With the establishment of an expanding quantum-photonic technologies community we will build a user group compromising both industry and academic members to provide open access information, and establish a quantum photonic technology roadmap as a mechanism to inform and engage users, and provide a strategic focus on future developments.
The UK is leading the field in quantum photonics and the proposed capability would move towards securing the entire process of design, manufacture, testing, packing, assembly and advanced functionalities within the UK. In the future, this platform will ease the transition of quantum photonic components from research to market because the fabrication processes will be compatible with and transferable to commercial foundries.
Industrial uptake of quantum technologies has been relatively slow to date. By providing a fabless route to high-quality devices we anticipate increased industrial activity in photonic quantum technologies. QuPIC will stimulate new industry and businesses by massively reducing the costs to entry for this technology, with the anticipation that start-up companies will be a heavy user of this facility.
QuPIC will be founded in the Nanoscience and Quantum Information Centre at the University of Bristol. It will become an epicentre of activity that will benefit industry, the National QT Hubs and wider academic community. By providing an affordable, low-risk and rapid route to quantum device manufacture, QuPIC will accelerate innovation and delivery of quantum technologies as well as providing training workshops in all aspects of the design process. With the establishment of an expanding quantum-photonic technologies community we will build a user group compromising both industry and academic members to provide open access information, and establish a quantum photonic technology roadmap as a mechanism to inform and engage users, and provide a strategic focus on future developments.
The UK is leading the field in quantum photonics and the proposed capability would move towards securing the entire process of design, manufacture, testing, packing, assembly and advanced functionalities within the UK. In the future, this platform will ease the transition of quantum photonic components from research to market because the fabrication processes will be compatible with and transferable to commercial foundries.
Organisations
- University of Bristol (Lead Research Organisation)
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Project Partner)
- Hewlett-Packard (United States) (Project Partner)
- Optocap (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Luceda Photonics (Project Partner)
- Gooch & Housego (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Teledyne e2v (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Sandia National Laboratories California (Project Partner)
- Ghent University (Project Partner)
- IBM Research - Zurich (Project Partner)
- Eindhoven University of Technology (Project Partner)
Publications
Burridge B
(2021)
Zero-Power Calibration of Photonic Circuits at Cryogenic Temperatures
in ACS Photonics
Weng HC
(2023)
Heterogeneous Integration of Solid-State Quantum Systems with a Foundry Photonics Platform.
in ACS photonics
Reynolds J
(2022)
Single-Contact, Four-Terminal Microelectromechanical Relay for Efficient Digital Logic
in Advanced Electronic Materials
Smith J
(2020)
Single photon emission and single spin coherence of a nitrogen vacancy center encapsulated in silicon nitride
in Applied Physics Letters
Bicer M
(2022)
Gallium nitride phononic integrated circuits platform for GHz frequency acoustic wave devices
in Applied Physics Letters
Valle S
(2019)
High frequency guided mode resonances in mass-loaded, thin film gallium nitride surface acoustic wave devices
in Applied Physics Letters
Bicer M
(2024)
Low-Loss GHz Frequency Phononic Integrated Circuits in Gallium Nitride for Compact Radio Frequency Acoustic Wave Devices.
in IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control
Rivera Lopez MY
(2020)
Development of Cycloaliphatic Epoxy-POSS Nanocomposite Matrices with Lambas Enhanced Resistance to Atomic Oxygen.
in Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Greenwood AB
(2022)
Smooth Sidewalls on Crystalline Gold through Facet-Selective Anisotropic Reactive Ion Etching: Toward Low-Loss Plasmonic Devices.
in Nano letters
Holder S
(2023)
Bio-inspired building blocks for all-organic metamaterials from visible to near-infrared
in Nanophotonics
Rana S
(2020)
Nanoelectromechanical relay without pull-in instability for high-temperature non-volatile memory.
in Nature communications
Eltes F
(2020)
An integrated optical modulator operating at cryogenic temperatures.
in Nature materials
Tasker J
(2020)
Silicon photonics interfaced with integrated electronics for 9 GHz measurement of squeezed light
in Nature Photonics
Paesani S
(2019)
Generation and sampling of quantum states of light in a silicon chip
in Nature Physics
Pelet Y
(2022)
Unconditionally secure digital signatures implemented in an eight-user quantum network*
in New Journal of Physics
Huang Z
(2022)
Experimental implementation of secure anonymous protocols on an eight-user quantum key distribution network
in npj Quantum Information
Burridge B
(2023)
Integrate and scale: a source of spectrally separable photon pairs
in Optica
Semenenko H
(2020)
Chip-based measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution
in Optica
Sulway D
(2023)
High-performance, adiabatically nanotapered fiber-chip couplers in silicon at 2 microns wavelength
in Optics Express
Rosenfeld LM
(2020)
Mid-infrared quantum optics in silicon.
in Optics express
Jiang P
(2020)
Suspended gallium arsenide platform for building large scale photonic integrated circuits: passive devices.
in Optics express
Mittal V
(2022)
Using electrical resistance asymmetries to infer the geometric shapes of foundry patterned nanophotonic structures.
in Optics express
Johnson M
(2020)
Low-loss, low-crosstalk waveguide crossing for scalable integrated silicon photonics applications.
in Optics express
Thomas R
(2023)
Quantifying and mitigating optical surface loss in suspended GaAs photonic integrated circuits.
in Optics letters
Valle S
(2019)
High-frequency, resonant acousto-optic modulators fabricated in a MEMS foundry platform.
in Optics letters
Smith JA
(2022)
Toward compact high-efficiency grating couplers for visible wavelength photonics.
in Optics letters
Khurana A
(2022)
Piezo-Optomechanical Signal Transduction Using Lamb-Wave Supermodes in a Suspended GalliumArsenide Photonic-Integrated-Circuit Platform
in Physical Review Applied
Day M
(2021)
A micro-optical module for multi-wavelength addressing of trapped ions
in Quantum Science and Technology
Joshi SK
(2020)
A trusted node-free eight-user metropolitan quantum communication network.
in Science advances
Field D
(2022)
Evaluating the interfacial toughness of GaN-on-diamond with an improved analysis using nanoindentation
in Scripta Materialia
Burridge B
(2023)
Integrate and scale: A source of spectrally separable photon pairs
Description | This is a strategic capital award and all equipment has been procured and is in use to the benefit of existing research programmes and UK investment in quantum technologies (QT) through the EPSRC QT Hubs and CDT programmes. We have also established the key metrics that will be important to the majority of future users of the QuPIC service. We have developed a capability to assemble designs for multiple sources in an efficient manner. Equipment funded thought this project is available for use through a Facility, for both academic and non-academic users. |
Exploitation Route | This award will generate a manufacturing capability and facility which will be open to the UK QT community to design, manufacturer and test quantum photonic devices. Examples of use of the Facility by external users include, four research groups based in the Institute for Compound Semiconductors at Cardiff University using PECVD for dielectric deposition, and Bodle Technologies (https://www.bodletechnologies.com) and NuNano Ltd using various equipment as part of the Facility. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Electronics Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
URL | http://www.bristol.ac.uk/physics/facilities/university-cleanroom/ |
Description | Equipment procured as part of this capital infrastructure award has allowed us to open up access to specialised equipment and expertise for external users, including industry such as Bodle Technologies, NuNano Ltd and KETS. This supports research and start-up companies in quantum device development and other related technology development areas, as these companies grow their business. |
First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Title | 9 GHz measurement of squeezed light by interfacing silicon photonics and integrated electronics |
Description | Open access data related to the manuscript "9 GHz measurement of squeezed light by interfacing silicon photonics and integrated electronics" By Joel F. Tasker, Jonathan Frazer, Giacomo Ferranti, Euan J. Allen, Léandre F. Brunel, Sébastien Tanzilli, Virginia D' Auria, Jonathan C. F. Matthews |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/3j52pj4e8oa2821wmrjcmfqg0z/ |
Title | A micro-optical module for multi-wavelength addressing of trapped ions |
Description | Open access data for the journal paper "A micro-optical module for multi-wavelength addressing of trapped ions" by Matthew L Day, Kaushal Choonee, Zachary Chaboyer, Simon Gross, Michael J Withford, Alastair G Sinclair, and Graham D Marshall |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/pp03wu9pjj7e2wy0op7whwtut/ |
Title | Data set. Optical properties. J-aggregate:PVA polaritonic films. |
Description | Optical properties (real and imaginary part of permittivity) of J-aggregate:PVA materials analysed in manuscript entitled "Bio-inspired building blocks for all-organic metamaterials from visible to near-infrared". arXiv preprint arXiv:2210.02315 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://zenodo.org/record/7505869 |
Title | Dataset for Gallium nitride phononic integrated circuits platform for GHz frequency acoustic wave devices |
Description | The datasets underlying the figures in the paper: Bicer et al., "Gallium nitride phononic integrated circuits platform for GHz frequency acoustic wave devices", published in Applied Physics Letters 2022 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/1lvx706n49chz2g8id14l2oe7c/ |
Title | Datasets for Acousto-optic modulators built using PiezoMUMPS process |
Description | Contains all the raw data used to generate the figures in the paper: Valle and Balram, Optics Letters 44(15) 3777-3780 2019. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/2veuu177pu1ru2epio7kkldpcv/ |
Title | Integrate and scale: a source of spectrally separable photon pairs |
Description | Dataset corresponding with modelling, simulation and measurement results regarding a new integrated photonic resonant cavity device used for the generation of ultra-pure and bright photon pairs. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/250jeya5avudl2pdsgf6tmq7cj/ |
Title | Integrated optical modulator at Cryogenic Temperatures |
Description | This data set contains pre-processed measurements acquired on optical modulators at different temperatures. The data was used as part of a collaboration between IBM and the University of Bristol. Analysis on the data show a high electro-optic coefficient and >20GHz modulation speeds at cryogenic temperature. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/3dwflddsnkun32ghpq4zufxtl1/ |
Title | Mid-infrared quantum optics in silicon supporting data |
Description | Applied quantum optics stands to revolutionise many aspects of information technology, provided performance can be maintained when scaled up. Silicon quantum photonics satisfies the scaling requirements of miniaturisation and manufacturability, but at 1.55 µm it suffers from problematic linear and nonlinear loss. Here we show that, by translating silicon quantum photonics to the mid-infrared, a new quantum optics platform is created which can simultaneously maximise manufacturability and miniaturisation, while reducing loss. We demonstrate the necessary platform components: photon-pair generation, single-photon detection, and high-visibility quantum interference, all at wavelengths beyond 2 µm. Across various regimes, we observe a maximum net coincidence rate of 448±12Hz, a coincidence-to-accidental ratio of 25.7±1.1, and a net two-photon quantum interference visibility of 0.993±0.017. Mid-infrared silicon quantum photonics will bring new quantum applications within reach. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/1ckssqmdmilj023w7f0gr36o06/ |
Title | Spontaneous Emission Tomography |
Description | This dataset contains data relevant to the publication of the Spontaneous Emission Tomography method. This method has been demonstrated using integrated silicon photonic circuits, and validated with a robust analytical model. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/3ne98x0tsdsko2mueu5la1ysca/ |
Title | CHIP-BASED QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION |
Description | There is provided an integrated-optic transmitter for transmitting light pulses to a further optical apparatus for generating a quantum cryptographic key according to at least one quantum cryptography technique. There is also provided an integrated-optic receiver for generating a quantum cryptographic key from light pulses received from a further optical apparatus. The transmitter apparatus splits incoming light into two paths to temporally separate the split light pulses and controls the output intensity of each split pulse as well as the phase of at least one of the split pulses. The receiver apparatus receives first and second light pulses and controls the output intensity of each said pulse between a first and a second optical detector. The light input into the second detector passes through an integrated element that controls the amount of light output into two paths that recombine before at least a portion is output to the second detector. |
IP Reference | WO2016142701 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2016 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | None to date |
Title | OPTICAL SOURCE |
Description | An integrated optical device and method for generating photons by manipulating path entanglement is provided. An integrated optical splitter splits pump light between two interferometer arms wherein each arm comprises a substantially identical photon pair source configured to be able to convert at least one pump light photon into a signal and idler photon pair. An integrated optical combiner device in optical communication with a first and a second optical output path interferes light from the first and second arms and outputs the signal and idler photons by bunching the signal and idler photons together in one of the optical output paths, or anti-bunching the signal photon in one output path and the corresponding idler photon in the other optical output path. |
IP Reference | US2015261058 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | n/a |
Description | 16 June to 17 June McKinsey T-30 summit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Convenes top leaders of the semiconductor industry and its related ecosystem to discuss topical issues impacting the industry |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://apps.mckinsey.com/t30/ |
Description | 6 December Opening of the Winton Gallery at the Science Museum (London) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Science Museum in London unveiled its new mathematics gallery, as part of the display a QETLabs chip will be on display next to the Enigma Machine. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/about-us/press/june-2016/new-mathematics-gallery |
Description | Bristol Quantum Information Technologies Workshop 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | BQIT is a three day annual workshop aimed at enabling leading UK and international academics and industrial partners to come together; to explore and discuss future ambitions and challenges in the field of Quantum Information Technologies. Since conception in 2014 BQIT has had 162 speakers and panellists who have presented their work and opinions on a range of topics, from quantum theory to innovation in industry. My talk was titled "Silicon Photonic Quantum Technologies". |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.bristol.ac.uk/physics/research/quantum/conferences/bqit-workshop/ |
Description | IEEE Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics Annual Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The 2016 International Conference on Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics (OMN2016) covered the most recent advances emerging from the extensive research and development in optical MEMS and nanophotonics that is continuing at academic, government and industrial laboratories worldwide. The conference will cover the latest advances in fundamental and applied research on micro-optical and nanophotonic devices and systems; the latest advances in materials and process technologies relevant to optical MEMS and nanophotonics; and the latest advances in the applications of optical MEMS and nanophotonic devices and systems. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
URL | http://www.omn2016.org/ |
Description | Programme Grant Wrap-up event - London, 20 May 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The event was held on 20 May 2019 at the Wellcome Collection in London and highlighted the achievements of this ambitious research programme. In addition, an expert panel made up of senior scientist on the grant engaged with the audience to discuss "what is the future of quantum photonics?". Engineering Photonic Quantum Technologies was a publicly held event which brought together an audience of academics, industry and funders to showcase the outcomes of the project to accelerate the impact of the grant and inform how the research in the programme provides a basis for technological development in the UK, which has the potential to influence the future of the field. Exploring the hardware innovations developed during the Engineering Quantum Photonic Technologies Programme Grant was a useful launching point to engage with the impact on the quantum landscape, developing applications in key areas and thinking about the future of quantum technologies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.bristol.ac.uk/physics/research/quantum/conferences/epqt/ |
Description | QET Labs Quantum Techology: Today and Tomorrow November 2016 (Bristol) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The Quantum Engineering Technology Labs(QETLabs) at the University of Bristol invited delegates to a unique one free day event on Wednesday 23rd November 2016 to explore the potential impact and opportunities brought by the development of Quantum Technologies. The day focused around the potential impact and opportunities created by Quantum Technologies in business and incorporated: Talks from Gooch & Housego, Airbus and Keysight Technologies Hands on Quantum Technologies demonstrations Facilitated discussions about how Quantum Technologies fit in to a future industrial technology landscape Opportunities to talk to experts about the applications of Quantum Technologies in your business This event was aimed at those with an interest in bringing quantum technologies into their business, working with existing companies and academic research groups to develop underpinning and associated technologies and applications. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.bristol.ac.uk/physics/research/quantum/conferences/qid/ |
Description | Quantum in the Summer 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | In the summer of 2016 QET Labs held their second annual summer school, Quantum in the Summer, for students aged 16 and over. The intensive week-long summer school runs for one week and celebrates light in all its forms. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
URL | http://www.bristol.ac.uk/physics/research/quantum/engagement/qsummer/ |