2018 Centre for Quantum Technologies CONTENTS CQT at a glance - PDF document

annual report 2018 Centre for Quantum Technologies

CONTENTS CQT at a glance Nurturing a community 2 of quantum expertise View from the Director 3 28 Governing Board The year by numbers Scientjfjc Advisory Board 4 29 Stafg and visitors Exceptional research, 30 projects and people Students at CQT 31 Recognitjon 6 Science updates 33 Alumni 9 Elements of a world-class clock 34 Events 14 Randomness grant leads to speed record Measuring CQT's 16 New push in quantum achievements and engineering impacts 18 Freedom and interactjons 36 Research 20 Bringing quantum 37 Collaboratjons communicatjon to Singapore and beyond 38 Industry 22 Pioneers of quantum 39 Outreach enterprise and innovatjon 40 Money matuers 25 All Possible Paths takes visitors Supporters into the quantum world 41 www.quantumlah.org twituer.com/quantumlah facebook.com/quantumlah youtube.com/quantumblah linkedin.com/company/quantumlah 2 2 3 3

CQT AT VIEW FROM THE DIRECTOR A GLANCE The Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) is a natjonal Research Centre of As we all know, it is diffjcult to make but also moderate expectatjons. Excellence in Singapore. We bring together physicists, computer scientjsts predictions, especially about the This, in fact, we have been doing and engineers to do basic research on quantum physics and to build devices future. While our research community for some time and now with based on quantum phenomena. Experts in this new discipline of quantum has long recognised the commercial increasing intensity. technologies are applying their discoveries in computjng, communicatjons potentjal of quantum technologies, and sensing. I must admit the worldwide surge of In this report, you will read investment, from big corporatjons, that Singapore’s new Quantum The Centre was established in December 2007 with support from Singapore’s venture capitalists and national Engineering Programme is Natjonal Research Foundatjon and Ministry of Educatjon. CQT is hosted by governments, took most of us by supporting more translational the Natjonal University of Singapore (NUS) and also has stafg at Nanyang surprise. It happened sooner and research, and that several CQT Technological University (NTU) and Singapore University of Technology and more suddenly than we antjcipated. researchers and alumni have Design (SUTD). Hype aside, this is both challenging ventured outside academia and and fascinatjng. I am confjdent that started their own companies. We Reaching into space is a strategic move DISCOVERY quantum technology will have a have also announced two major new towards global data security, and we substantjal impact on society in years projects that build on the Centre’s are excited to be part of it. We pursue insight into the physics that describes light, matuer and informatjon. to come, but its commercial potentjal long history of expertjse in quantum We develop novel tools to study and control their interactjons. Our research in the next fjve to ten years is anyone’s communication, and especially in This CQT annual report will tell you goals range from understanding the propertjes of materials to working out new guess. quantum key distribution. On the more about our science, outreach encryptjon schemes. domestjc side, we will work closely and contacts with industry. I hope CQT was established with a mission to with Singapore’s Infocomm Media you will learn more about what we do TECHNOLOGY do basic research – and this goes on Development Authority (IMDA) to and how we do things at CQT. I hope as usual. We have seen many beautjful promote development of quantum you get to know our CQTians a litule We build technologies for secure communicatjon, quantum computjng and research papers coming from CQT. technologies, in particular secure too. The most valuable part of any precision measurement. We create our own sofuware and control systems that We cannot, however, just wait for quantum communication, in research instjtutjon is the people. In push the boundaries of what’s possible. We collaborate with and consult for commercial things to happen. The Singapore. It will include outreach the corporate lingo, human capital is industry. tjme has come for a fruitgul discussion actjvitjes, competency development the ultjmate intangible asset. To me, it among researchers, entrepreneurs, and training for the local industry is more: these friends and colleagues EDUCATION managers, and investors who share and government agencies. With defjne CQT. I thank all CQTians for an interest in quantum technology, an international perspective, the their hard work in 2018. Together we We train people from undergraduates to postdoctoral fellows. Our quantum and CQT must play a leading role in Singapore and UK governments are well positjoned to meet all the technologists are skilled in planning and problem-solving, with diverse skills such such discussions. We want to work announced an $18 million joint new challenges ahead. as coding, circuit design and systems engineering. Our alumni have moved on to closely with industry and government project to build and deploy a satellite jobs in academia and industry. agencies, to point out opportunitjes quantum key distributjon test bed. 2 2 3 3

21 6 1 82 quantum spin-offs Principal and startups Investjgators years old total staff and students 7 48 k+ academic conferences and workshops 192 visitors to CQT’s website publicatjons 2 1 50 + $ 29 . 7 m camp for school media expenditure training students mentjons Exceptional research, projects and people workshops for industry Highlights of CQT's work in quantum technologies in 2018 4 5