Quantum Technologies

The Graduate School of Quantum Technologies trains students through a solid knowledge base in the fields of quantum information and technology. With the developed skills, students will be offered many opportunities in this rapidly expanding field, from the business world to research via doctoral studies.

Presentation

The research units of the Université Paris Cité working in the field of quantum information are internationally recognised for their activities in computer science, fundamental physics and the development of innovative devices for quantum technologies. Over the years, these units have developed very high-level training courses with an international outlook.

Within the framework of the Quantum Flagship and the French Quantum Technology Programme launched in January 2020, the Graduate School of Quantum Technologies aims to train master and doctoral students by giving them a solid knowledge base in the field of quantum information, with a cross-disciplinary approach combining skills in quantum physics and information theory.

As one of the key objectives of the report on the quantum technologies national strategy, the Graduate School combines courses covering both quantum physics and engineering and computing.

In addition to existing courses focusing on quantum communications and computing, the Graduate School of Quantum Technologies introduces:

• New pedagogical approaches with guest experts to give students a better understanding of current research topics and key aspects of quantum technology; real-time demonstrations of quantum optical phenomena; and programming projects in one of the current open source languages dedicated to quantum algorithms.
• Thematic seminars with internal and invited guests who are key players in the field, both from an academic and industrial point of view.
• Outreach seminars to raise awareness and train students in soft skills such as gender equality, business development, start-ups creation, open science and scientific ethics.
• Joint courses in computer science and physics for PhD students. Notably, the Graduate School runs joint summer schools for them.

The Graduate School Master programmes include four-month internships in research laboratories. Thematic seminars as well as  laboratory tours give students a good understanding of on-going research in the Paris region.

As to the relation with the socio-economic sphere, studying quantum devices leads to a double profile of quantum physicist and nanoscience engineer which opens up many opportunities of PhD thesis in industrial research and development centres. Besides, competences in computer science, adding to their own industrial network, provide students with a multidisciplinary profile, particularly timely in the context of quantum technologies.

The Graduate School also has a high international profile as a majority of students come from abroad each year. It also benefits from alumni networks, such as the Université Paris Cité Alumni network.

Contact

quantech@listes.u-paris.fr

Research

While having an international reputation, the laboratories of Université Paris Cité are pioneer in the field of quantum technologies.

Regarding physics research, our focus is on the study of advanced quantum materials and the development of innovative quantum devices. The activities are based on a large spectrum of theoretical and experimental skills combining material physics, transport and optics, but also technological platforms such as: clean room, spectroscopy, and high resolution electron microscopy. The expertise lies in new quantum material, new quantum states of matter at the nanoscale, innovative nanooptical systems, quantum engineering and quantum information.

In the field of computer science research, the focus is on the development of quantum algorithms and cryptography: general framework of quantum walks, first concrete application of quantum machine learning in reordering systems and optimisation techniques.

The highly specialised skills developed by the research teams at the Graduate School make them sought-after partners in national and European programmes, as well as in industrial collaboration with Atos, STMicroelectronics, and Nokia Bell-Labs among others.

Executives

Heads of the Graduate School:

• Prof. Sara DUCCI
  UFR Physics
  MPQ Laboratory
• Frédéric MAGNIEZ
  Director of Research at the CNRS
  UFR Computer Science
  IRIF Laboratory