At the heart of QuanTour lies the quantum light source that produces single photons – the smallest quantity of light. The quest of producing single photons keeps scientists around the world engaged. In QuanTour, these single photons will be generated by a quantum dot – a tiny structure made of semiconductor material. Its size is just a few nanometers – think of it like the size of a tennis ball compared to the earth.  The quantum dot is embedded in a bull’s eye-like structure, designed to get those photons out. Fabricated specially at Tobias’ Quantum Communication Lab, we produce single photons from the source at every lab along the QuanTour journey.

Light plays a crucial role in many applications of our modern society, from communication to navigation. When we’re chatting to our friends via smartphone, browsing the internet, or watching movies, classical laser pulses in fiber-optical networks deployed underground transmit the information. But there is so much more: For example, vacuum robots and self-driving cars are using laser light for navigation. Transferring these and other applications to the quantum realm, by using photons, has the power to improve existing technologies and unlock new possibilities. By harnessing photonic quantum technologies, we  shape a future where technology revolutionizes our society.