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The Atom Interferometry and Inertial Sensors group (IACI) of SYRTE opens a 24-months post- doctoral position dedicated to development of ultra-sensitive gravi-gradiometers. The applicant will be involved into two ongoing projects: the research on the novel technologies to enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of SYRTE atomic gravi-gradiometer [1]; and the EU Horizon collaborative project FIQUgS [2] on mobile quantum gravimetry for geophysics applications.

TOPTICA France, french hub of the TOPTICA group, world-leading manufacturer of high-power low-noise fiber lasers and amplifiers is seeking a highly motivated and talented individual to join the team. We are looking for a candidate with a particular interest in the field of innovative laser source for quantum applications.Focus on the Labcom Starlight+The Labcom Starlight+ is a joint initiative between LP2N (Laboratoire Photonique, Numérique et Nanosciences) and Toptica France (formerly Azurlight Systems). This laboratory has been the birthplace of several major advances in laser sources for the quantum industry, and the founding partners have ambitious plans for growth and expansion following the implication of Toptica Photonics and the award of several major financed projects.We offerA stimulating research and industrial environment with close collaboration with R&D scientists from TOPTICA as well as ALPhANOV.The LP2N lab will also provide an interdisciplinary working atmosphere, as it is hosted in the facilities of the Institut d’Optique d’Aquitaine, which is also home to Naquidis, the innovative centre for disruptive quantum products. Several annual social events are organized for taking time to relax and to get to know co-workers.Competitive salary and benefitsOpportunities for professional development and advancementAccess to the ressources and facilities of the Institut d’Optique

Attached to the Naquidis quantum technologies innovation center, you will be in charge of developing new post-quantum cryptography products and participating in developing a dedicated startup. Your main missions are :– Elaborating the specifications with users and customers,– Choosing the right development language according to these specifications,– Developing 3 types of products: digital signatures, encryption schemes, and messaging applications,– Integrating the developed products in the users’ and clients’ IT ecosystems,– Carrying out tests and validating the developed products,– Providing technical support to users and customers,– Identifying the necessary evolutions and proposing a product development strategy,– Participating in the creation and development of the startup.

IxAtom is a joint research laboratory between the Laboratory of Numerical Photonics and Nanosciences of the Institut d'Optique d'Aquitaine (LP2N), specialized in new techniques for atomic interferometry, and Exail, an industrial leader in the fields of photonics, inertial navigation and quantum sensors.In this unique environment at the border between fundamental research and applications, we study the quantum inertial sensors of generation, especially for embedded environments. By hybridizing conventional sensors and the atomic interferometer, it is possible to improve the performance of inertial navigation systems by more than an order of magnitude compared to existing technologies.

In two setups we are studying crystallization and self-ordering phenomena in systems where the emerging ordered structure has more degrees of freedom with respect to what can be obtained in a stationary wave cavity. The atoms are trapped in a traveling wave cavity, where they interact with several cavity modes, or within the core of a photonic crystal fiber, where they see a continuum of electromagnetic modes. In either case no boundary conditions are imposed to the emerging optical lattice, and the transition from homogeneous to periodic order consists in a crystallization of both light and ultracold atoms breaking a continuous translational symmetry. The scheme would allow the observation of supersolid-like components and quasi-crystals.

The ELGAR initiative supports the realization of a European underground infrastructure based on the latest progress in atomic physics, to study space-time and gravitation with the primary goal of detecting GWs in the infrasound band (0.1 Hz to 10 Hz). In view of organizing an answer to a forthcoming European research infrastructure call, the scope of the workshop will be to review the current developments related to the main technological building blocks of the antenna.

The Institut de Mathématiques de Bordeaux (IMB) is a CNRS – Université de Bordeaux – Bordeaux INP joint research unit. As a host laboratory for the Doctoral School of Mathematics and Computer Science, the IMB brings together most of the mathematical research carried out on the Bordeaux site, and brings together the scientific activities of numerous researchers, teacher-researchers, doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows, working in the following 7 teams: Analysis, Scientific Computation and Modeling, EDP and Mathematical Physics, Geometry, Image Optimization and Probability, Mathematical Optimization Random Model and Statistics, and Number Theory.Quandela is a spin-off company from the French national laboratory CNRS that develops full-stack photonic quantum platforms. Founded in 2017, Quandela is a team of motivated quantum technology enthusiasts with broad experience ranging from quantum information, optics, quantum photonic, and semiconductor nanotechnologies.

On July 11, 2023, the Institute of Optics of Aquitaine presents a momentous event: the celebration of 18 months of concrete actions and collaborations between the academic and industrial worlds in the field of quantum technologies, within the Naquidis Center initiative, within the Naquidis Center initiative, established in March 2021. This exceptional day brought together renowned figures such as Alain Aspect, Étienne Klein, and Christophe Salomon, and was marked by Alain Rousset's concluding remarks and the awarding of the Region's medal to Alain Aspect.Since its inception, Naquidis Center has been dedicated to fostering exchanges and synergies between researchers, academics, and industry players in the realm of quantum technologies. The commemorative day provided an opportunity to take stock of the progress made through this innovative and unique initiative in the burgeoning field.The morning began with inspiring speeches from emblematic figures in quantum research, including Alain Aspect, known for his pioneering work in quantum physics experimentation, Étienne Klein, a passionate popularizer of physics, and Christophe Salomon, an expert in quantum physics of ultracold gases.Following the presentations, a series of roundtable discussions took place, during which academic researchers and company representatives shared their experiences, the challenges in education and the outcomes of their collaborations in the field of quantum technologies.The afternoon was filled with interactive workshops, highlighting concrete projects resulting from collaborations within Naquidis Center in the realm of quantum technologies. Innovative prototypes were showcased, ranging from revolutionary quantum devices to promising industrial applications. Participants had the opportunity to interact with researchers and entrepreneurs, creating potential for future partnerships.

Post-quantum cryptography is at the forefront of research in computer security, anticipating the era where quantum computers could jeopardize classical encryption systems. Within this rapidly evolving field, Philippe Gaborit and Nicolas Aragon (from the XLIM laboratory in Limoges) are contributing to several submissions proposed in the new NIST standardization round for choosing digital signatures: MIRA, RYDE, and PERK based on the MPC in the Head technique, as well as WAVE, based on error-correcting codes.The Cryptis team will also be present at the Crypto 2023 conference (Santa Barbara) with their paper titled « Analysis of the security of the PSSI problem and cryptanalysis of the Durandal signature scheme. » This paper provides a new analysis of the resistance of the Durandal signature scheme. Nicolas Aragon and Victor Dyseryn will be in attendance.Congratulations are also in order for Agathe Cheriere, who, alongside Nicolas Aragon, Tania Richmond, and Benoit Gérard, received the Best Student Paper Award at the ACNS 2023 conference (Kyoto) for their paper « BIKE Key-Recovery: Combining Power Consumption Analysis and Information-Set Decoding. »The Cryptis team at the XLIM laboratory in Limoges is emerging as a key player in this cryptographic revolution. Their expertise and commitment are tangible evidence of their leading role in securing future communications, safeguarding them from the threats of quantum computers.

The iXAtom joint laboratory aims to develop a new generation of inertial sensors, based on the use of cold atoms.Navigating a boat or submarine imposes constraints that are not fully met by current tools. The iXAtom joint laboratory aims to develop a solution overcoming these limitations, using cold atom quantum inertial sensors.The Quantum Day in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, organized on July 11, 2023 by the NAQUIDIS Center, was marked by the signing of the renewal of the iXAtom joint laboratory. This collaboration, which began in 2017, brings together the Laboratoire Photonique, Numérique et Nanosciences (LP2N) – associating the Institut d’Optique Graduate School, the University of Bordeaux and the CNRS – and Exail – the result of a merger between iXblue and ECA Group. The aim is to develop a new generation of inertial sensors, based on the use of cold atoms. This technological innovation could significantly improve on-board positioning and navigation systems, particularly in maritime transport. Here’s how it works.The limits of classic inertial sensors and GPSAn inertial sensor is an instrument used to measure acceleration – an accelerometer – or rotation speed – a gyrometer. These sensors are now widely used, including in our smartphones. They are also used for more critical applications, such as boat or submarine navigation, via inertial units, which combine three accelerometers and three gyrometers.“The problem is that these inertial sensors drift over time,” notes Vincent Ménoret, R&D manager at Exail and co-director of iXAtom. “For example, accelerometers are generally based on a system similar to a mass suspended from a spring, which elongates as a function of the acceleration experienced. However, these deformations also depend on a large number of external factors such as temperature or pressure…”. These variations can lead to errors, which are then amplified by the mathematical operations required to go from acceleration to position, up to several hundred meters after an hour’s travel.How can these inaccuracies be corrected, without having to recalibrate the measuring equipment? The solution often chosen is to couple inertial units to GPS systems. “However, the satellite signal is not always available, for example underwater,” points out Baptiste Battelier, research engineer at the LP2N laboratory and director of iXAtom. “And some organizations may be resistant to the idea of communicating with the outside world or depending on a GPS signal.”Cold atom quantum sensorsThe joint laboratory favors the option of an autonomous navigation system, using quantum inertial sensors. Their principle: to study cold atoms in free fall, within a vacuum enclosure. “The atom has several advantages,” explains Baptiste Battelier. “Firstly, it’s easy to manipulate with lasers, for measurement purposes. And, thanks to our in-depth knowledge of its structure and fundamental properties, we can deduce information about the acceleration it undergoes. What’s more, its free-fall behavior remains the same anywhere in the world, at any time.” Quantum sensors therefore theoretically offer absolute measurements, immune to potential drift.But what’s the point of cooling these atoms? “Cooling helps us to limit the expansion of the cloud of atoms, so as to confine it to a restricted space, where we apply our laser beam,” continues the iXAtom director. “This allows us to carry out longer measurements, and therefore achieve greater sensitivity.”Quantum-classical hybridizationAll in all, quantum inertial sensors are proving to be more accurate, sensitive and stable than their conventional counterparts. Is this enough to replace them once and for all? “Quantum sensors also have their limitations,” says Vincent Ménoret, “for example, the need to cool the atoms means that they cannot measure at certain times. Similarly, very high accelerations can exceed measurement dynamics.”The iXAtom team therefore decided to combine the two technologies, in order to compensate for the limitations of each. The first phase of the collaboration, between 2017 and 2021, thus led to the construction of a three-axis cold atom accelerometer, the fruit of a hybridization between quantum and classical inertial sensors, which could be used in maritime or air transport, but also in other fields such as the defense industry or geophysics. This research has already been the subject of five patents and four scientific publications, and has led to the hiring of a PhD student and a postdoctoral fellow by Exail. “But we don’t intend to stop there,” says Baptiste Battelier. “First of all, we realized that high turnover was making our system ineffective. So we’re working on ways to compensate for these effects. We also want our system to be able to be taken on board a boat, which means further improving our performance and continuing our engineering work to make it sufficiently compact. These are just some of the issues on which researchers will be working during this second phase, which will culminate in the signing of the joint laboratory renewal agreement.

The Labcom Starlight+ is seeking a highly motivated and talented individual to join the team of Giorgio Santarelli and Adele Hilico, as an Associate Researcher. We are looking for a candidate with a particular interest in the field of innovative laser source for quantum applications.

Announcing the start of the quantum projects. With the power to create unbreakable encryption, supercharge the development of artificial intelligence, and radically expedite the development of new drug treatments, quantum technology will revolutionize our world. On the 19th-20th April 2023, the quantum journey will begin in Prague with the kick-off meeting of the Qu-Test and Qu-Pilot project.

LABRI is a leading research institution in computer science and mathematics, with a particular focus on the fields of algorithms, cryptography, and quantum information. The University of Bordeaux is one of the top universities in France and is internationally recognized for its research and teaching excellence. The NAQUIDIS Center is fully dedicated to build collaborations between industrials and researchers to accelerate the time to market for disruptive quantum products and solutions.

Ultrafast lasers, initially developed in research laboratories, have gone far beyond the scope of research applications. These systems are now widely available for industrial applications (micromachining, life sciences, medical applications). Ultrafast lasers are emerging as a key enabling technology for the fast growing Quantum market, especially for quantum computing & communication, both identified as two dominant axes of the second coming quantum revolution. As a coordinator of common R&D programs between XLIM & SPARK Lasers, your daily work will be essentially experimental & at the cutting-edge of academic & industrial world. Your main mission will be to transfer world-class academic laser performances from a lab environment to the market through new SPARK Lasers products for Quantum applications. XLIM Fiber Laser R&D team is a world class leader in the design & demonstration of high performances ultrafast fiber lasers in the MIR at non conventional wavelength with record performances in terms of pulse energy & duration. SPARK Lasers is the structure that will promote the results of the program after transfer of know-how by the laboratory. SPARK Lasers is currently the world leader in ultrafast 920 nm lasers for biological imaging. This young company wishes to increase its product offering in the photonic quantum computing market by offering ultrafast lasers at innovative wavelengths in line with this market (for the excitation of quantum wells and single photon sources).

This project aims to develop embedded quantum gravimeters (using atomic interferometry with laser-cooled atoms). The project includes both fundamental research questions and prototyping, with the final objective of designing a cold atom quantum gravimeter in a strap-down configuration (without active stabilization platform) on mobile carriers. In terms of performance, the aim is to improve performance by an order of magnitude compared to existing classical sensors, in particular in terms of accuracy. This will considerably facilitate the measurement process by eliminating the static calibration phases.To reach this goal, several technical and scientific challenges will have to be addressed:– Optimal coupling between the atomic interferometer, conventional sensors (mechanical accelerometers, fiber optic gyros), and the carrier’s navigation unit. This question of hybridization and fusion of sensors is central because quantum sensors alone will not be able to meet the constraints imposed by a dynamic environment.– To define the optimal operating regime of the atomic interferometer to guarantee a high level of performance in variable conditions (sea state, vibrations, etc.)– To understand the needs of the end-users in terms of performance, but also in terms of size and power consumption, in order to reach the optimal compromise in terms of operability.– To define the best system architecture taking into account all these constraints.The expected results are the following:– An operational prototype of an embedded quantum gravimeter running on a stabilized platform, and ready to be commercialized– Demonstration of the principle of a quantum gravimeter in strap-down configuration, and understanding of the technical and scientific limitations– New techniques allowing an optimal hybridization between quantum and classical sensors for embedded gravimetry– New technological building blocks (electronics, optics, mechanics, software) to improve the embeddability of quantum sensors, or their operation in a dynamic environment

Qu-Test is a partnership of European testbeds for quantum technology, which is composed of distributed infrastructures with globally unique equipment and competencies across Europe. The goal of the partnership is to provide European industry with the necessary support in terms of infrastructure and know-how to move faster to the market and create a robust supply chain for the quantum technology market. The partnership is aligned along three testbeds: quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing. In more detail, the Quantum Computing Testbed will measure, characterise and validate cryogenic quantum devices, cryogenic qubits such as superconducting and semiconducting qubits, photonics qubits and ion traps provided by European industry, with an increasing service maturity and targeting larger quantum processors during the course of the FPA. The Quantum Communication Testbed will characterise devices for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG) and provide design and prototyping services to support innovation in the supply chain of quantum communication technologies. Finally, the Quantum Sensing Testbed will benchmark sensing and metrology instruments provided by industry and use a large suite of quantum sensors (clocks, gravimeters, magnetometers, imagers) to validate industrial use cases aiming at generating new business cases for quantum sensing and metrology devices. The three testbeds will be coordinated by a Single Entry Point (SEP) that will receive the requests of industry and direct them efficiently to the right testbed infrastructure. With additional services of IPR support, business coaching and innovation management, Qu-Test supports the European quantum industry with a holistic one-stop-shop to move the full ecosystem forward.

April 2023, NAQUIDIS launches QI-Next (the smart quantum workforce) with the University of Bordeaux (LABRI and IMB), and the University of Limoges (Xlim). ETA: September 2024 Two programs will run concurrently: Program A to promote regional academic offerings through an online platform on quantum algorithms and post-quantum cryptography; Program B to facilitate the entry of high-level students.Some positions are available, do not hesitate to contact us!

Since November 2022, NAQUIDIS and 9 European partners have launched the FIQUgS project, thanks to the Horizon Europe program. ETA: November 2025 Gravimetry aims at unveiling the density structure of the undergrounds by measuring subtle changes of the local gravity acceleration. The first-generation of quantum gravity sensors (QGs) has received a strong interest from many customers, and the market is still growing. But the commercial potential and the positive-impact of the technology are not yet fully exploited because of several limitations such as transportability, robustness, user-friendless or high operation costs. To overcome the barriers that limit the operational utilization of field gravimetry and develop the solutions that will allow us to fully address the exploitable market, we propose to conduct in FIQUgS the development of several innovations, either at the technological level with improved QGs built upon a reliable and efficient supply chain, or in terms of operational methodology. The development of a next generation QGs product line, and the services associated for the conduction of field surveys, data acquisition and data inversion will allow to considerably develop our capability to address the market of advanced geophysics. The unique industrial and technological capabilities that will result from FIQUgS will positively contribute to several important societal objectives, especially the European Green Deal: – the new field QGs will allow for a reduction of the environmental impact associated with mining activities thanks to a reduction of drilling operations, and civil engineering where it will contribute to more efficient and resilient constructions. – they will contribute to improved utilization of geothermal energies through the development of non-invasive monitoring capabilities of the energy reservoir. – they will be involved in CO2 storage operations and will contribute to the fight against global warming thanks to these advanced monitoring capabilities. FIQUgS will also have an impact on quantum technologies markets, such as high-performance navigation or advanced photonics.Some positions are available, do not hesitate to contact us!More information here.Partners: Exail, asphericon, Robotnik, GReD, widmo, BRGM, University of Liège, CNRS-SYRTE, TNO, Naquidis Center

Since the start of the school year, the French quantum ecosystem has been organizing meetings around the Quantum France plan and its implementation in the territories closest to laboratories and companies. On October 14, the MINALOGIC competitiveness cluster organized a day in Grenoble entitled Quantum Computing: What challenges and opportunities for the industrial ecosystem. Philippe Bouyer speaking on the round table “quantum plans in territories and opportunities for collaboration between Regions” presented the NAQUIDIS Center initiative for New Aquitaine alongside Alexia Auffèves, CNRS Research Director — Néel Institute — Grenoble, Eleni Diamanti, Eleni Diamanti, CNRS Research Director — LIP6, Sorbonne University and Isabelle Robert-Philip, CNRS Research Director — Charles Coulomb Laboratory — Grenoble, Eleni Diamanti, CNRS Research Director — LIP6, Sorbonne University and co-director of the Occitan Quantum Institute. A new meeting is scheduled for December 10 at the IOA (Talence).

On July 5th, the NIST (National Institute of Standard and Technology), the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research) and the University of Limoges signed a license agreement the basis of patents developed in Limoges. “This license agreement, the result of a consultation process between the stakeholders involved, enshrines the excellence of French fundamental research at the global level. It particularly illustrates the quality of the French school in mathematics and cryptography.” is delighted Antoine Petit, Chairman and CEO of CNRS. “We are proud that researchers at our University are helping to define the future of digital security. The research team CRYPTIS from the XLIM laboratory confirms the global impact of its work in post-quantum cryptography.” welcomes Isabelle Klock-Fontanille, President of the University of Limoges.

The Naquidis team took the occasion of the ALPHA-RLH cluster members’ forum at Château Laffitte to announce its new platform of Scientific Matchmaking.The platform’s features are open to any organizations or individuals interested in exploring the potential of quantum technologies in the scope of the 3 thematic axes defined by our Scientific Advisory Board. The data we collect is subject to a confidentiality agreement.Submit your pre-project on our dedicated platform. Pre-projects can be either fundamental research, applied research, collaboration between Research and Industry, or start-up maturation with co-creation.

Location: Institut d’Optique d’Aquitaine, Talence (Bordeaux area, France) A unique environment for quantum technologies, combining cutting-edge academic research and application-oriented industrial R&D and gathering key players in the field: LP2N: Academic research lab, specialized in novel atom interferometry techniques iXblue: Industrial company, a pioneer in field quantum sensors iXatom: fully integrated joint research lab between LP2N and iXblue Naquidis: Innovation center for quantum technologies Many possible projects, ranging from fundamental physics to field applications: High flux ultracold atom sources for the next generation of quantum sensors Miniaturization of the multi-axis quantum accelerometer using hybrid atom chips Multidimensional atom interferometry towards full quantum inertial navigation units Quantum sensors for Space geodesy Quantum sensors in microgravity and applications to fundamental physics in space Onboard multi-axis quantum accelerometer in strap-down operation Applications of these projects include fundamental physics, inertial navigation, ground, and onboard gravimetry, space geodesy… Contacts: baptiste.battelier@institutoptique.fr, vincent.menoret@ixblue.com

ESA’s NAVISP programme – helping to invent the future of European navigation – is probing the science of the very small. The aim is to employ hyper-sensitive quantum technology-based sensors as supplementary navigation solutions, including tracking local variations in gravity that could be matched onto regional and global gravity maps.

As part of the national quantum strategy, and with the help of the Digital Factory, a news feed is set up on a weekly basis to know everything about what is happening in quantum in France. NAQUIDIS ensures coordination for the New Aquitaine ecosystem. Send us your info as we go: audrey.durand@institutoptique.fr Scientific news (academic breakthroughs) Tech news (technological breakthroughs) Tech news (technological breakthroughs) Startups news Industry (industrial investments) Investment news (investment rounds and relevant capital injections) Business news (commercial updates such as M&A) Business news (commercial updates such as M&A) Institutional/Governmental news (government policy updates) News Contents and training Events news (inauguration, conferences...) Business news (commercial updates such as M&A) Institutional/Governmental news (government policy updates) News Contents and training Events news (inauguration, conferences...)

A first call for projects aimed at supporting the development of critical and innovative cybersecurity technology building blocks was published on 28 July as part of France’s cybersecurity acceleration strategy. This call for projects is the first of a several; others will follow until the end of the acceleration strategy. Each of the calls for projects will include a list of themes that must be addressed by the projects applying (they have to address one or more of the themes). Here is a reminder of the current list of themes: Development of security building blocks for remote and collaborative communication tools; Development of innovative cryptography technology; Development of solutions which combine cybersecurity and operational safety where cyber and physical systems meet; Development of cybersecurity solutions for the security of major events. The Naquidis Center is collaborating with the French Directorate General for Enterprise (DGE), the Regional Directorates for the Economy, Employment, Labour and Solidarity (DREETS) and the Regional Academic Delegation for Research and Innovation (DRA-RI) to coordinate a response to the next CFP in the field of post-quantum cryptography. Industrial players working alongside the Cryptis (Limoges) and IMB (Bordeaux) laboratories are engaging in a quantum computing projects today, because they are the best quantum insurance policy! The entire Nouvelle-Aquitaine community is already able to express its interest through a collaboration with Digital Aquitaine and its DOMEX AI and Data Science. The themes selected will be published at the end of November. Stay tuned!

A team of French physicians (CNRS, Institut d’Optique Graduate School, Observatoire de Paris, UPMC, Université de Bordeaux), supported by CNES and ESA, publishes a detailed study showing how two different matter waves can allow to test the principle of the universality of free fall using correlated atom interferometers. Beyond this technological « tour de force », this experiment constitutes a first step to explore space-time with quantum objects. At first sight, General Relativity, the theory of gravitation predicting macroscopic phenomena, and Quantum Mechanics, describing the infinitesimally small, are irreconcilable. For example, the concept of time itself differs from one theory to another. In Quantum Mechanics, time is an independent external variable of evolution, while in general relativity time (or rather space-time) obeys its own dynamics. At the heart of this latest theory, the equivalence principle states that bodies of different masses fall at the same speed if they are subject to the same gravity field. If this principle is largely verified with objects of large size, its application to the microscopic “quantum” world still gives rise to numerous questions today. Atoms cooled at a few millionths above the absolute zero in the inertial quantum sensors could start to provide answers to these questions. To reach this goal, this team has developed an experiment allowing in a unique way to measure simultaneously the acceleration of quantum particles of different masses. 10 million atoms cooled at + 0.000001 degrees, Rubidium on one side, and Potassium, twice lighter, on the other side are sent in two simultaneous interferometers. The results are remarkable because they demonstrate that this simultaneous measurement allows to correlate two atom interferometers and reach a precision largely unsensitive to external perturbations. Thanks to a meticulous study of all the effects which could degrade the performances of the measurement, the physicians showed this is particularly important to control the relative trajectories of the particles, and the spatial characteristics of the atomic detection as well. The team doesn’t intend to stop at this first transitional result. By pushing further the technology of quantum sensors, they aim to reach a precision at which the equivalence principle will be tested at the quantum level. For this objective, much colder atoms are required to produce much more sensitive interferometers where matter waves propagate over larger distances. This measurement will go through operating these sensors in microgravity, within the simulator developed at Institut d’Optique d’Aquitaine or later aboard a satellite in orbit around the Earth. Beyond this test of a cornerstone of General Relativity, these ultimate sensors pave the way to explore the frontier between the quantum world and the relativistic world. These results are published in the journal AVS Quantum Science, in the special issue « Celebrating Roger Penrose’s Nobel prize ». Read the article.

The NAQUIDIS Center is an official member of the Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC). The Consortium advocates, promotes, and fosters the common interests of the European Quantum Industry towards all Quantum Technology stakeholders. Objectives: Identify gaps in the Quantum Technology sector in terms of supply chain, enabling components and/or technology, performance, intellectual property, standards, workforce. Identify applications and use cases in different areas. Facilitate the coordination between Quantum Technology industries. Advocate the Quantum Technology industry needs towards public stakeholders. Nurture a fair and sustainable Quantum Technology business environment in Europe and ensure its global competitiveness.

The Naquidis Center participated in the Matchmaking Partners Day for the FPA “open testing, and pilot production capabilities for quantum technologies” on October 25. Philippe Bouyer gave a 10-minute pitch in which he presented Nouvelle-Aquitaine’s quantum ecosystem to more than a hundred European participants, along with the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO, located in The Hague, Netherlands) and the National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB, located in Braunschweig, Germany). This call was published on 2 November and its goals are: To create long-term open, supportive and sustainable experimental and testing infrastructures in Europe that are openly accessible by European academia and industry; and To develop and provide access to first European fabrication (production) capabilities for quantum technology, building on and linking together existing infrastructures.

NAIA.R (R for robotics) will take place over 3 days, from 9 to 11 December 2021, at H14 in Bordeaux. It will have over 5,000 m2 of space for demonstrations, stands, professional meetings, workshops, round tables and conferences. The event will bring together professionals from these sectors, represented in part by the Aquitaine Robotics cluster, as well as RoboCup’s partners. Olivier Ezratty and Eleni Diamanti will give a conference on quantum technology on 9 December. They will also be at the Aquitaine Optical Institute (IOA) in Talence, near Bordeaux, on the morning of 10 December to meet and discuss with Naquidis Center players and any students who may be interested. Please send an email to audrey.durand@institutoptique.fr if you wish to participate.

Quantum sensors have been studied extensively and are commercially available today, but they are also very limited. Measurements can only be made along one direction, whereas three-dimensional vector-type measurements are required for many applications. In addition, ‘dead time’ during the measurements degrades the accuracy, especially over long-term use. Through close collaboration between European and Canadian research institutes, VIQTOR proposes to develop a novel 3D quantum manipulation toolbox that will lead to a new generation of vectorial quantum sensors. VIQTOR also proposes to develop a quantum sensor array with links between several spatially distributed nodes. This infrastructure will enable observations of small ‘inertial anomalies’ with improved sensitivity. The combination of these two innovations will lead to a vector map of accelerations and rotations on the geosphere – enabling the detection of small geophysical signals previously inaccessible with classical sensors. These capabilities create new market opportunities, such as positioning without GPS, resource management without drilling, or improved early-warning systems for natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, or volcanic eruptions.

On 4 October, the founding partners of the Naquidis Center met with Neil Abroug, Head of the French National Quantum Strategy, for the first time. Neil Abroug is an engineer at the French National Institutes of Science and Technology (INSA) and has a PhD in applied mathematics from the University of Strasbourg. He also has a degree in innovation management from the Grenoble École de Management and in economic intelligence from the École de Guerre Économique in Paris. He has worked as a researcher and project manager at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) in the field of Industry 4.0. In 2018, he joined the French Directorate General for Enterprise, where he helped to develop the national quantum strategy. He was also the rapporteur for the project assigned by the prime minister to MP Paula Forteza on France’s potential and ambitions for its quantum strategy. The uniqueness of the Naquidis Center initiative caught Neil Abroug’s attention, and the strong commitment the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, the Institut d’Optique Graduate School (IOGS), the Universities of Bordeaux and Limoges, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the ALPHA-RLH competitiveness cluster have made to support the approach finally won over the General Secretariat for Investment (SGPI) representative. A new face-to-face visit to the Aquitaine Optical Institute (IOA) is now planned for late November. The regional players will be presenting all the ‘quantum’ initiatives. Contact us if we haven’t already done so.

‘Three physicists with great industrial ambitions founded Gironde-based company Muquans, which has since become number one in quantum sensors in France. Ten years later, it made a huge change by joining forces with iXblue, a company that aims to become the European leader in photonics and quantum technology. Philippe Bouyer, Director of Research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and co-founder of Muquans, looks back at this revolutionary company’s history.’ […] […] ‘Also driven by a “real desire to come and set up in Nouvelle-Aquitaine”, iXblue thus acquired Muquans in June 2021. This was a way for the Gironde-based company to rapidly ramp up its operations and boost its turnover, which had topped out at around 3 million euros, as it was “limited by its size”, says Philippe Bouyer. “Joining a well-established company like iXblue”, which has over 700 employees worldwide and has also recently acquired Pessac-based photonics specialist Kylia, “will give us access to a global sales distribution network and an integrated customer base. And allow us to integrate vertically, which are two important aspects to increasing our production capabilities and growth”, says Muquans’ co-founder and chief scientific advisor.’ Read the article

Securing today’s data against tomorrow’s enemies. Digital communications are currently protected by asymmetric cryptography technology. Peter Shor has shown that a powerful quantum computer could break current encryption. What would happen if some of today’s top-secret information, such as diplomatic negotiations, financial transactions or even health data, were to be leaked in 5, 10 or even 20 years’ time? To combat this threat, cryptographers must accept that they are not fighting on an equal playing field. They must find a way to protect information from future quantum enemies with today’s classical computers. The underlying scientific challenge is to find simple mathematical operations that can be performed on everyone’s devices and which cannot be undone by an inordinate amount of computing power. One way to model these new problems is to imagine a grid and a token. It is easy to decide whether the token is close to the grid. But if now, instead of being given the grid, you are only given a few points close to it along with the token. In that case, it is much more difficult to determine whether the token is in a reasonable vicinity of the grid. At the end of 2016, the American National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) launched an international competition since to look for future post-quantum standards and has since received 69 valid proposals. After three selection rounds over several years, two of XLIM’s algorithms (BIKE and HQC) are among the nine finalists for the cryptography of tomorrow. The Xlim Newsletter no. 23 – December 2020

The Naquidis Center is the result of 3 years of hard work. It aims to accelerate quantum technology research. The creators of the Naquidis Center have developed a hybrid form of operating inspired by the leading innovation centres, with the support of France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the Universities of Bordeaux and Limoges, the Institut d’Optique Graduate School (IOGS) and the ALPHA-RLH competitiveness cluster. We are looking to get out there and meet people from industry, academia, CRTs and support structures. So, if you would like us to come to see you, let us know of your availabilities to study collaboration opportunities. Fill in the form and we’ll see you soon!