Quantum communication is a key technology for the security of digital infrastructures in our society. By using quantum states, it manages to prevent electronic eavesdropping attacks and thus to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information. Research activities on quantum communication have so far been strongly determined by basic research and largely concentrated on universities and research institutions.
The umbrella project Quantenkommunikation Deutschland (SQuaD) is now intended to act as a kind of control centre, bringing together existing research results with the industrial development of components, systems and solutions for quantum communication. The main goal is to link companies and research institutions well so that they benefit from each other in close exchange. To this end, SQuaD has a total funding volume of around nine million euros for a duration of 40 months.
One of SQuaD's tasks is to lay the foundations for quantum communication, for example by providing reliable setups for testing components and promoting standardisation and certification. Several research projects are already underway. For example, a test environment has been connecting several stations in Hanover since last year, including the Institute for Solid State Physics with the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt in Braunschweig. It is used to characterise and further develop solid-state photonic components, such as so-called semiconductor quantum dots as single photon sources, and especially quantum repeater components under real conditions. This should underpin and expand their suitability for use in future quantum communication networks.
Several members of QuantumFrontiers are also contributing their expertise to the umbrella project. It is coordinated by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).
Further information on the homepage of the umbrella project Quantum Communication in Germany: www.squad.ptb.de
