Our research focuses applications of quantum optics to find useful and practical solutions to a diverse range of quantum-information-theoretic problems. Topics we cover include quantum communication, optical quantum computing, quantum complexity problems, boson sampling, entanglement distribution, relativistic quantum information and more.
The Optical Quantum Computing Program lies within the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation & Communication Technology and is funded by the Australian
Research Council, The University of Queensland. It investigates the use of quantum optical systems for quantum information processing.
Two major paradigms pursued are the single photon approach of Knill, Laflamme and Milburn, Nature 409, 46 (2001) and the coherent light approach of Ralph et al, Phys.Rev.A 68,
042319 (2003). Both of these schemes employ linear optical processing but enhanced with non-linear interactions. An exciting new direction is the investigation of sampling
algorithms such as boson sampling.
Our main collaborators are the experimental programs at UQ, Griffith University, the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales.
Our main international collaborators include the University of Bristol, UK, National University of Singapore and NII Japan.
The Quantum Communication Program lies within the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation & Communication Technology and is funded by the Australian Research Council,
The University of Queensland, a Capability and Technology Demonstrator (CTD) Grant, and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation. Quantum information research has
traditionally concentrated on discrete variables such as spin with two-dimensional Hilbert spaces. Recently there has been increasing interest in quantum information protocols
using continuous variables of infinite dimensional systems. This program investigates discrete variable quantum communication protocols as well as continuous variable
generalisations of quantum teleportation, key distribution, and distillation of entanglement.
We collaborate closely with Centre of Excellence groups at the Australian National University and Griffith University as well as UNSW Sydney and QuintessenceLabs,
as well as international groups such as the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, the Technical University of Denmark, the University of Tokyo, Japan and Northrop
Grumman Corporation.
Until recently, most quantum information research has been formulated in a non-relativistic setting. The desire for a better understanding of the interaction between quantum
mechanics and relativity, plus the ever-increasing sensitivity of experiments has stimulated research into relativistic quantum information. Currently, we are interested in
quantum information protocols and entanglement in curved space-time. We hold an international workshop on Relativistic Quantum Information every year.
We collaborate with other groups at UQ and the University of Sydney as well as international groups at the University of Nottingham, UK, the University of Vienna, Austria,
and the University of Waterloo, Canada.