FREEDOM PHOTONICS LLC — Department of Defense STTR Phase I: AF20A-T003

Description

To formulate the ultimate quantum computer, it is likely the case that several technologies will be combined in a hybrid fashion, in which dissimilar and physically separated qubits are joined via universal quantum interconnects – a network dubbed the “quantum internet”. Quantum information processing in the photonic domain allows for information to transmitted over appreciable distances, operation at cryogenic and room temperatures, virtually no decoherence, and readily manipulated by standard optical components. A crucial enabler for future quantum information processing (QIP) systems will be photonic quantum nodes that can entangle spatially separated devices, support high-bandwidth communication, and perform basic quantum gates. In order to provide a feasible opportunity for deployment, such photonic nodes must (i) maintain compatibility with the established fiber-optic infrastructure, (ii) rely on scalable photonic technology, and (iii) support enabling QIP protocols for communication, computing, and sensing. While each of these requirements has received some attention in the community, there exists no solution that has successfully addressed all three simultaneously, leaving a major capability gap toward the development of quantum networks. In this program, the Freedom Photonics Team will develop the critical components to realize a photonic quantum frequency processor (QFP) capable of parallelized QIP tasks, supporting a tailored suite of QIP protocols.