Hannover, July 14, 2025 – Prof. Fei Ding from Institute for Solid State Physics has been awarded his third grant from the European Research Council (ERC), this time a Proof of Concept (PoC) Grant. Building directly on the breakthroughs achieved in his earlier ERC Starting Grant and ERC Consolidator Grant, this new project aims to take solid-state based quantum communication systems one step closer to real-world deployment.
Communication networks today are indispensable to modern life, yet they remain inherently vulnerable to cyber threats, especially with the rise of quantum computing. ComPQT addresses these challenges by developing compact, plug-and-play quantum terminals based on genuinely deterministic quantum light sources. These terminals will be tested over a 79-kilometre quantum link between Hannover and Braunschweig, demonstrating real-time quantum key distribution with ultra-precise time and frequency synchronization.
The foundation of ComPQT lies in the PI’s earlier ERC Starting Grant “QD-NOMS”, which developed high-performance semiconductor sources of single and entangled photons. These were further advanced under the current ERC Consolidator “MiNet”, which focuses on ultra-stable synchronization of quantum nodes. By combining these technologies, ComPQT aims to demonstrate a scalable and secure quantum communication infrastructure and bridge the gap from research to commercialization.
“This project is a natural continuation of nearly a decade of fundamental research at Leibniz University Hannover,” says Prof. Fei Ding. “Thanks to the ERC’s continued support on “high-risk, high-gain” research, we can now move our semiconductor quantum photonic technologies out of the lab and into real-world scenarios, unlocking the potential of secure communications for the quantum era.”
In addition to technical demonstrations, the ERC PoC grant will support market analysis and intellectual property development, preparing ComPQT for future commercialization and partnerships with industry.
This success adds to the celebration of the two renewed excellence clusters “QuantumFrontiers” and “PhoenixD” at Leibniz University Hannover. It reinforces Lower Saxony’s leading role in the field of fundamental quantum research and applied photonics research.
About ERC PoC grant: Frontier research often generates radically new ideas that drive innovation and business inventiveness and tackle societal challenges. The ERC PoC Grant provides a lump sum of EUR 150,000 within 18 months to explore the commercial and social innovation potential of ERC funded research.