First quantum photonic circuit with electrically driven light source

Optical quantum computers are what people are pinning their hopes on for tomorrow's computer technology - whether for tap-proof data encryption, ultrafast calculations involving enormous quantities of data or so-called quantum simulation, which allows highly complex systems to be reproduced on the computer. So far, experiments researching into the applicability of this technology have filled entire laboratory rooms. In order to use this technology in a meaningful way, however, it needs to be accommodated in a very small space. For the first time researchers have now succeeded in putting a complete quantum optical set-up on a chip. This meets one requirement for making it possible to use photonic circuits for quantum computers. Those involved in the study included a team of scientists from Germany, Poland and Russia - headed by Professors Wolfram Pernice from Münster University and Manfred Kappes and Carsten Rockstuhl from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The light source which the researchers used for the first time for the quantum photonic circuit was special nanotubes made of carbon.