QTIC member, KETS Quantum Security, will be working with Cambridge-based startup Wave Photonics who are leading a £470k Innovate UK project to explore the use of computational design to develop an optimised library of component designs for integrated quantum photonics. They will also be working alongside Cardiff University and Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult.

Integrated quantum photonics is a scalable technology used in quantum computing, sensing, random number generation and communication. Currently designers have to spend a lot of time and effort developing their own custom, high-performance components. This feasibility study will investigate using a computational approach to design a library of components in a way that can be moved to different fabrication processes, aiming to enable the development and scale-up of quantum technologies.

Wave Photonics will develop the software and component designs for the PDK. Wave Photonics CEO, James Lee said “This project will enable us to make the most of the team’s background in quantum photonics and computational optimisation to not only develop a quantum photonic PDK at the target foundry, but to also develop the core tools to expand to other fabrication processes in an efficient way.”

KETS, a quantum photonics company developing on chip quantum-secure communications systems, will be providing input into to the project as a potential end user of a quantum photonics PDK.

Jake Kennard, Chief Applications Officer at KETS said:

 “Integrated quantum photonic chips are the beating heart of KETS products - but developing new ones often requires bespoke designs that can be complicated, time consuming, and expensive to produce. To that end, we're delighted to be joining Wave Photonics and partners on the 'Quantum Photonics PDK' project that will directly tackle this issue. As a consumer of integrated optical photonic chips we look forward to engaging with the project and to the successful development of an optimised PDK that can dramatically simplify KETS' design process through standard building blocks designed from the ground up for quantum applications.”

Project partner, Cardiff University, will be developing a testing setup and performing measurements to allow Wave Photonics’ software to adapt the designs for maximum robustness and efficiency, and the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult will be supporting the project by developing a testing rig for entangled photon sources and performing characterisation of the designed sources throughout this project.