Solid-State Quantum Standards

Macroscopic quantum systems will play a significant role in all future quantum devices as well as ultra-precision measurements, since quantum effects provide the ultimate, stable reference-scale based solely on fundamental constants. In this sense, the international systems of units, the SI system, will be changed in 2018 to become independent of human artefacts such as the kilogram prototype references. In QuantumFrontiers, we push the precision of these quantum experiments further in order to e.g. test our present understanding of the Josephson and Quantum Hall Effect and their relation to the fundamental constants e and h. In addition, novel materials that enable operation at elevated temperatures will be explored, parallel electron-pump devices producing even macroscopic “quantum” currents will be developed, and noiseless single-electron sources will be made available for future experiments. Experiments beyond the classical noise limits will be tested by employing non-classical quantum effects like entanglement for noise reduction in squeezed light for interferometry, or by using an ordered stream of electrons or photons as emitted by clocked single-electron or single-photon sources. Finally, we will strive to commercialise these electrical and photonic devices through hybrid integration into a compact package and aid in making this these technologies ubiquitously available.