Miniaturisierte Lichtquellen für den industriellen Einsatz in Quantensensoren und Quanten-Imaging-Systemen (MiLiQuant) - Teilvorhaben: Technologie und Theorie für MIR Quanten-Imaging Systeme

Having started in 2019, the three-year project MiLiQuant (Miniaturized light sources for industrial quantum sensors and quantum imaging systems) aims to foster new developments in quantum technologies that benefit both society and economy. In particular, the project’s research focusses on building miniaturised light sources for applications in quantum sensing and imaging. To this end, the MiLiQuant consortium comprises the companies Q.Ant, Zeiss, Bosch, and Nanoscribe, as well as the Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz and Paderborn University. The project is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within its funding initiative “Key components for quantum technologies” with an amount of 9.4 million Euros.

Being a collaborative project, MiLiQuant builds upon the diverse expertise of the project partners to develop light sources based on diode lasers, which are compatible with industrial quantum applications. This includes the development of sources featuring a high frequency and power stability under real world operating conditions. The target application is quantum imaging at visible and near infrared wavelengths for low light level microscopy of living cells.

In the Integrated Quantum Optics group, which is led by Prof Christine Silberhorn, we are developing tailored waveguide structures that allow for light guiding at a wavelength of 2.5µm. In addition, we investigate quantum imaging based on photon-pair correlations. This includes not only the development of the underlying theory, but also the proof-of-concept demonstration in our quantum optics’ laboratories. Within the next three years, we will transfer the scientific results into industrial applications.

Scientific contacs: Prof. Dr. Christine Silberhorn, Dr. Benjamin Brecht, Dr. Christof Eigner