The University of Waterloo’s Transformative Quantum Technologies (TQT) program continues to advance cutting-edge quantum research through its Quantum Quest Seed Fund (QQSF), which recently awarded funding to eight new research projects across the university.
Among the funded initiatives is a project led by Dr. Zbig Wasilewski, Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and a member of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, in collaboration with Dr. Michael Reimer. Titled Metasurfaces for high-efficiency parametric downconversion and complex quantum state generation, the project aims to advance quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communication through the development of new quantum optical metasurfaces.
The research combines complementary work conducted by international collaborators, including Dr. Maria Chekhoby at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Dr. Mikhail Belkin at the Walter Schottky Institute. By integrating these research efforts, the team will develop novel nanostructured platforms capable of enabling the next generation of complex entangled photonic quantum states.
This project benefits from strong synergies between Canadian and German research institutions and presents an opportunity for the University of Waterloo to further strengthen its position in the rapidly growing field of quantum photonics. It builds on Waterloo’s established leadership in nanotechnology and quantum research while fostering impactful international collaborations.
While this initiative highlights advances in quantum photonics, it is one of eight projects supported through recent rounds of the Quantum Quest Seed Fund, reflecting the breadth and interdisciplinary strength of quantum research underway at the University of Waterloo.
This article was adapted from content originally published on the University of Waterloo’s Transformative Quantum Technologies (TQT) website.