Research groups

explore our research groups

Collaboration is key to the research taking place at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC).

Faculty, students, postdocs and visiting researchers work together to create fascinating and leading-edge science. Learn more about the work being done in each of the research groups.

Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat)

The Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) plans to demonstrate quantum key distribution (QKD) in space. QKD is a technology that creates virtually unbreakable encryption codes and will provide Canada with secure communications in the age of quantum computing.

Principal investigator: Thomas Jennewein

Quantum Materials and Devices Lab

Quantum Materials and Devices Lab ("The Tsen Group") aims to uncover new physical phenomena in quantum materials with reduced dimensionality, and incorporate these materials in novel (opto)electronic devices for quantum information technology. 

Principal investigator: Adam Wei Tsen

Applied Quantum Materials & Devices Lab

The Applied Quantum Materials & Devices Lab research focuses on a particular aspect of the electrons and ions - their spin degrees of freedom, and spin information can be stored, transferred, and processed all the way from classical to quantum levels. Formerly known as the Functional Quantum Materials Group.

Principal investigator: Guo-Xing Miao

Laboratory for Quantum Information with Trapped Ions (QITI)

The Laboratory for Quantum Information with Trapped Ions (QITI) studies interaction between quantum degrees of freedom in a laser-cooled trapped ion system. QITI aims to create a flexible quantum system, with control at the level of individual particles for studying problems in quantum many-body physics and computation.

Principal investigator: Kazi Rajibul Islam

Coherent Spintronics Group 

The Coherent Spintronics Group focuses on furthering the science and technology of quantum devices by developing prototypes and quantum control methods necessary for scalable Quantum Information Processing (QIP). 

Principal investigator: Jonathan Baugh

Optical Quantum Communication Theory Group

The Optical Quantum Communication Theory Group explores the interface between quantum communication theory and quantum optical implementations.

Principal investigator: Norbert Lütkenhaus

Quantum Photonic Devices Laboratory

The Quantum Photonic Devices Laboratory is focused on advancing quantum information science and technologies through the development of novel quantum light sources and solid-state quantum devices. The researchers also test fundamental questions in quantum photonics.

Principal investigator: Michael Reimer

Quantum Innovation (QuIN) Lab

The Quantum Innovation (QuIN) Lab presents the lessons from the study of carbon nanotubes and exciton-polaritons, and gives perspectives and current progress on strategic action plans for the future.

Principal investigator: Na Young Kim

Jamison Lab

The Jamison Lab studies ultracold matter, cooling atoms and molecules to within a few billionths of a degree of absolute zero. We use this ultracold stuff to study the complexities of many-body quantum systems and quantum chemistry. 

Principal investigator: Alan Jamison

Trapped Ion Quantum Control

Dr. Senko’s research focuses on using trapped ions for quantum simulations and quantum computing applications. Her work also explores qudits and how to improve the efficiency of encoding a logical unit of information using the multiple levels of a qudit.

Principal investigator: Crystal Senko

Quantum Interactions Theory Group

The group develops novel tools for investigating and engineering light-matter interactions with applications in the field of quantum information science. Their work involves close collaborations with experimental groups and focuses particularly on finding new protocols for realizing (i) quantum networks and (ii) quantum simulations of models from high energy physics.

Principal investigator: Christine Muschik

Superconducting Quantum Devices Group

The Superconducting Quantum Devices (SQD) Group focuses on experimental research with superconducting devices, ranging from quantum bits for quantum information experiments, to superconducting resonators for loss characterization, among other projects.

Quantum systems based on superconductors have applications in quantum technologies and provide a versatile testbed for fundamental investigations in quantum mechanics.

Principal investigator: Adrian Lupascu

Nano-Photonics and Quantum Optics Lab

The Nano-Photonics and Quantum Optics Lab focuses on development and studies of novel forms of light-matter interactions and their applications using quantum optics and nanoscale photonic structure.

Principal investigator: Michal Bajcsy

Digital Quantum Matter Lab

The Digital Quantum Matter laboratory is dedicated to researching and designing quantum information processing devices. The ultimate goal of the group will be to build a fully general quantum computer.

Principal investigator: Matteo Mariantoni

Quantum Sensing in Physics

Research pursued in this group links quantum information, neutron physics, and condensed matter physics. Diverse new directions have spawned off of these efforts and include, for example, neutron phase imaging, searches for dark energy and tests of Born’s rule of linearly of quantum mechanics.

Principal investigator: Dmitry Pushin 

Engineered Quantum Systems Laboratory

In the Engineered Quantum Systems Laboratory, we study light-matter interactions using superconducting microwave circuits for exploring new physics in the quantum regime.

Principal investigator: Christopher Wilson

Quantum Optics and Quantum Information Lab

The research interests of the Quantum Optics and Quantum Information Lab are in experimental quantum optics, nonlinear optics, state reconstruction and measurement and interferometry.

Principal investigator: Kevin Resch

Quantum Cavity Optomechanics (QCOM) Group

This group focuses on cavity optomechanical systems and superconducting circuits and their applications in metrology, quantum information and non-classical state preparation. Their work straddles theoretical and applied research, from ideation and designing devices through to their fabrication and analysis. 

Principal investigator: Bradley Hauer

Nanoscale Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lab

The liquid state laboratory (Chemistry 2, room 170) houses all of the test equipment and tools necessary to design, construct, troubleshoot and repair RF instruments. Professor Bill Power's chemistry laboratory is available for use for sample preparation. The Physics and Astronomy department maintains a machine shop for the students and researchers. There is access to X-ray crystallography and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) facilities in the chemistry department for solids sample characterization.

Principal investigator: Raffi Budakian

Quantum Software Group (Qsoft)

As a growing array of quantum technologies are developed, the need for “quantum software” grows. The main focus of Qsoft: The Quantum Software group, is to develop a range of tools for the synthesis and optimization of quantum software to be run on fault-tolerant quantum computing hardware.

Principal investigator: Michele Mosca

Spin Engineering Lab / Quantum Processors Lab

Spin 1/2 particles are nature’s qubits.  They are useful as building blocks of prototype quantum systems with applications to sensing, simulation and computation.  Our interest is to engineer spin systems to further the development of coherent control and in particular to extend our knowledge of multi-body physics.

Principal investigator: David Cory

Quantum-safe Cryptography Group

Principal investigator: Michele Mosca

Quantum Error Control and Error Correction

Principal investigator: Raymond Laflamme

Quantum Information and Computation Theory Group

Luke Schaeffer

Luke Schaeffer works on quantum algorithms and complexity. His work uses the tools of theoretical computer science to investigate the power of quantum circuits, the cost of learning quantum states, and the design of fermion-to-qubit encodings, among other topics.

William Slofstra

Works on the mathematics of quantum information, especially connections between entanglement and subjects in pure mathematics like operator algebras, geometry, and representation theory.

Graeme Smith

Graeme Smith works on the theory of quantum information and computing.