People and Expertise
We are a team of distinguished experts in many fields relevant for establishing an excellent quantum technology ecosystem here in Hamburg. We possess precisely the necessary expertise for our envisioned goals here in Hamburg at the ZOQ and TUHH.
Expertise in the creation and manipulation of ultracold quantum gases is indispensable for quantum computers based on neutral atoms. With currently 12 extensive projects on the physics of quantum gases, the ZOQ holds a leading position in Germany and the world. This expertise was also crucial for the successful acquisition of the two federal excellence clusters CUI and AIM and the DFG Collaborative Research Center SFB 925. All projects are funded under AIM or SFB 925. Moreover, the connection with outstanding experimental and theoretical solid-state physics at UHH and the MPSD of the MPG – and thus the connection with topological quantum materials – is unique in Germany. This is evidenced by more than 300 publications on quantum computing, quantum simulation, and quantum materials over the past 10 years. Recently, the BMBF-funded quantum computer demonstrator project "Rymax-One" (PIs: Moritz, Jaksch, Schmelcher, Sengstock) was secured, which, with a total volume of almost 29 million euros as a collaborative project, forms a central basis for HQC.
Equally crucial is that this expertise at the ZOQ is combined with the worldwide leading position in the field of so-called "squeezed light." This particularly low-noise, precise light is the foundation for pure-photonic quantum computers. The ZOQ has repeatedly set the world record for the quality of this light over the years. Competencies in integrated photonics at the TUHH, which extend from materials, modeling, device design, manufacturing technologies, and system integration to system characterization at the highest level offer an ideal networking opportunity to the competencies of "squeezed light" at UHH to prepare the scalability of next-generation photonic quantum computers. In the field of photonics, TUHH and UHH have been cooperating successfully since 2019 with the establishment of the cross-university research laboratory Microelectronics Germany ForLab HELIOS (Hamburg Electronics Laboratory for Integrated Optoelectronic Systems, PIs: Trieu, Lipka), which is funded by the BMBF to ensure Germany's technological sovereignty. With ForLab HELIOS, the manufacturing chain for micro and nanosystems in joint-wafer processes in the clean rooms of both universities is already being practiced and implemented.
Most quantum computer architectures require precise microwave signals regulated in phase and amplitude, e.g., for error correction or excitation. With the filling of the Institute for High-Frequency Technology in 2020, TUHH expanded its competence area from high-frequency components to high-frequency systems. This includes coupling structures such as antennas, high-frequency electronics, noise-optimized analog baseband circuits, fast digital architectures, and the associated signal processing with machine learning-based signal analysis. Regarding the HQC project, high-quality and perfectly matched approaches for microwave signal generation can be researched, which also includes methods for compensating non-ideal behavior of the entire signal chain. Together with noise-optimized receiver stages and high-resolution and fast phase measurement technology, a potent basis is created to generate new and powerful concepts for microwave excitation and signal evaluation of quantum computers. The mentioned examples were published as components or complete high-frequency systems in more than 200 peer-reviewed international publications over the past 10 years.
With its expertise in computer science and interdisciplinary application fields, TUHH offers an ideal environment for exploring new applications for quantum computers. TUHH holds a leading position in Germany in the field of algorithmic value creation on quantum computers. For one, it secured an endowed professorship with Fujitsu, focusing on hardware-related combinatorial optimization. This professorship was filled at the end of 2022 with Prof. Martin Kliesch and will conduct industry-related research on modern computing architectures, such as quantum computers. Additionally, the newly founded Institute for Algorithms and Complexity within the TUHH growth initiative employs "Algorithm Engineering" for optimization procedures. Moreover, computer science is strongly positioned in the field of verification, an area essential for correctness verification of computing procedures on complex quantum computing technology. Further key professorships in computer science related to quantum computing include the Professorships for Software Systems and Embedded Systems and for Secure Cyber Physical Systems, which contribute significantly to the verifiability of algorithms. The Junior Professorship for Theoretical Computer Science expands the area of algorithmics and applications of quantum computing.
With their innovative teaching methods and interdisciplinary research orientation, UHH and TUHH also offer the ideal environment to jointly educate future professionals for the quantum computing ecosystem alongside top-tier fundamental research in quantum technologies.