The Competence unit Optical Quantum Technologies (OQT) operates a large laboratory, dedicated to quantum optics experiments as well as photonics and opto-electronics set-ups.
Quantum optics & photonics laboratory: The main goals for the CU OQT to be achieved by operating this laboratory are the following:
developing and evaluating QKD systems and protocols
developing new quantum-optical prototypes and components which can be licensed to strategic partners,
performing quantum optical research projects.
The main function of the equipment in the laboratory is to generate, manipulate and detect single photons. Since these processes are highly time dependent, there is also demand for high frequency electronics.
In order to perform cutting-edge R&D projects in a national as well as international environment and for testing our prototypes we need the following categories of equipment:
laser and single photon detectors,
opto-electronic components such as electro-optical modulators, fibres, lenses, non-linear crystals, microscopes, etc.
pulse- and frequency generators, network analysers, high-frequency oscilloscopes, etc.
Probe-stations for photonic integrated circuit (PIC) characterisation
Major Facilities of the infrastructure cluster
| Laser and single photon detectors #1 | • single-photon avalanche photo detectors (visible, near-infrared) • 8 high-efficient Superconducting Nanowire Single-photon Detectors (near-infrared) • EPR sources • 40 GHz mode-locked laser for ps-pulse generation, pulse picker • narrow-linewidth (2 kHz) tunable lasers • GHz balanced homodyne detector • Optical spectrum analyser operating at single-photon level (Raman measurement) We need the laser and detectors in order to generate and detect single photons. |
| Opto-electronic components #2 | • optical multi-format transmitters (I/Q, CML, EML, DML) • coherent / IM/DD receivers (PIN+TIA, APD+TIA) • optical comb generator for 32 channels in C-and L-band • CWDM comb from 1270 to 1610 nm • optical amplifiers (SOA, EDFA) and reach extenders for C- and L-band • passive ROADM and resilience switch • various optical network components (filters, (cyclic) arrayed waveguide gratings, A/D nodes, switches, etc.) • various electrical RF components (low-noise and high-power (linear) amplifiers, filters and equalizers, etc) • 300 km standard single-mode fiber stack We need these components to manipulate the single photons and to integrate them together with the lasers and detectors for generating overall systems. |
| Further instrumentation #3 | • Demonstrators for quantum key distribution (BB84 QKD, DPS-QKD, CV-QKD) • Quantum random number generator (vacuum-noise) • State-of-the-art PCB and FPGA development tools • Signal processing for CV-QKD • QRNG randomness extraction and testing • QKD stack • 16 GHz / 80GS/s Real-time scope • 20 GHz / 65 GSa/s Arbitrary Waveform Generator, • 10 GHz / 20 GSa/s Arbitrary Waveform Generator • Optical spectrum analyzer with 10 MHz resolution and sub-picometric wavelength accuracy from 1265 nm to 1615 nm. • high-resolution RF spectrum analyser (26.5 GHz) • vector network analyser • 12.5 Gb/s pulse pattern generator and BER tester • Piezo-stabilised optical probe station for optoelectronic chips, for butt- (InP, SiN) and vertical light coupling (SoI) • Matlab algorithms addressing photonic components and optical subsystems We need this equipment for testing and analysing our systems as well as the different components. |
Location
The laboratory of the infrastructure „Quantum Optics & Photonics Laboratory“ is located in Vienna’s facility “FUTUREbase”. It has a total area of 135 m2 laboratory space.
