A triad for quantum photonics

Messe Erfurt is organizing Quantum Photonics - a European trade event for quantum technologies and photonics - for the first time from 13 to 14 May 2025. With a triad of trade exhibition, user-oriented specialist congress and networking, the congress trade fair offers the ideal platform for the exchange of knowledge between experts from research, development, construction and application.

Quantum technology systems and photonics are currently opening up revolutionary innovation potential in applied research and increasingly also in industrial applications. The networking of players, joint research into optical components and systems and the pooling and effective use of resources are the prerequisites for the successful development of both fields. In order to specifically expand such synergies and to promote research and industry transfer in both fields, Messe Erfurt has launched Quantum Photonics, which will take place for the first time from May 13 to 14, 2025.

The event is aimed at researchers, developers and engineers at all career levels, for example from the fields of computing, communication, imaging and sensor technology as well as the associated application industries such as medicine, life sciences, chemistry, mobility and finance.

Dr. Ramona Eberhardt, Deputy Director of the Fraunhofer IOF (Research Institute for Optics and Precision Engineering), which is providing technical support for Quantum Photonics as a partner, affirms: “The Quantum Photonics event offers an excellent platform to promote the close link between quantum optical systems and photonics technologies and to accelerate the transfer of knowledge from research to application.”

The specialist congress comprises four application-related key topics: Quantum for Cyber Security, Quantum meets AI, Quantum for Instrumentation and Measurement and Quantum for Mobility. All four topics will be presented in their own forum with keynote speeches and practice-oriented presentations. Prof. Dr. Jaw-Shen Tsai from Tokyo University of Science will give the cross-topic keynote speech on “Superconducting Kerr Parametric Oscillators based Bosonic Qubit - A Practical Quantum Information Processing Platform”. He led the qubit project at NEC Tsukuba for many years and is team leader at the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing in Japan. 

Congress with four main topics

The first main topic will be “Quantum for Cyber Security” - a topic that plays an important role for Bundesdruckerei, for example, which is why Dr. Oliver Muth will report on “Quantum Inside Bundesdruckerei” and present a practical approach for his company. Other speakers on this panel are Prof. Dr. Thomas Hühn from Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, Dr. Thomas Lebeth from dacoso GmbH and Prof. Dr. Christoph Marquardt from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Lebeth will shed light on the question of how quantum technology is redefining data security. This is because quantum computers jeopardize known encryption methods, forcing companies to implement quantum-safe solutions.

After the lunch break, the first day of the conference will continue with the topic “Quantum meets AI”, on which Dr. Mario Krenn from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light will give the keynote speech entitled “Towards an Artificial Muse for new ideas in Physics”. Dr. Jan-Rainer-Lahmann from IBM Quantum will then present the current state of the technology and the IBM Quantum Computing Roadmap. Dr. Florentin Reiter from Fraunhofer IAF will focus on machine learning with his lecture “From Quantum Computers to Higgs Bosons and back”. Prof. Dr. Jens Eisert from the FU Berlin will give the last lecture in this panel.

Experience quantum live and network

As the networking concept plays a central role at Quantum Photonics, the networking event “Quantum LIVE” will take place on the evening of May 13, 2025. In addition to participants and exhibitors, supra-regional players from research and development, industry, politics, media and associations will also be there to network. The event will provide an opportunity to round off the first day with a cool drink, delicious finger food and pleasant discussions.

From instrumentation and mobility

The second day of the conference will start with a keynote speech by Dr. Sebastian Schmitt from Fraunhofer IOF in the panel “Quantum for Instrumentation and Measurement”. He will shed light on quantum optics at chip level and explain how it can be used to overcome challenges and exploit market opportunities. Joni Mellin from X-Fab will report on the requirements of new photonics and quantum applications that have the potential to push the performance limits of the technology. Dr. Axel Schönbeck from Noisy Labs explains how squeezed lasers efficiently reduce noise and enable applications in vibration measurement or biosensing. Dr. Massimo Gandola from the Fondazione Bruno Kessler will report on quantum imaging with CMOS SPAD arrays, which can break through the limits of light.

The congress program will conclude with the panel “Quantum for Mobility” with the keynote “SQuIRREL - Secure Quantum Infrastructure for Road, Rail and Air Traffic - Project Overview” by Prof. Dr. Andreas Polze from the Hasso Plattner Institute and the University of Potsdam. Dr. Mario Bär from CiS will shed light on color centers in diamonds and their application in sensor technology and quantum computing in the context of mobility. Other speakers include Dr. Bernhard Burchard from Elmos Semiconductor SE and Arne Wulff from TU Delft. Wulff will be presenting on “Quantum-assisted stacking sequence retrieval and laminated composite design”.

Trade exhibition and lecture stage

The following well-known companies will be presenting their innovative products at the trade exhibition in order to talk directly to their users: Lasos Lasertechnik GmbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS Deutschland GmbH, fiberware, AIM Micro Systems GmbH, nanoplus Nanosystems and Technologies GmbH, Abbe Center of Photonics, QuNET-Initiative, CiS Forschungsinstitut für Mikrosensorik GmbH, SmarAct GmbH, X-Fab Global Services GmbH, Quantum Optics Jena GmbH and LAYERTEC GmbH.

Parallel to the trade congress, the “Panel Stage”, an open lecture forum in the middle of the trade exhibition, offers a varied point of contact for trade fair visitors, congress participants and exhibitors. Here, experts from research and development will provide insights into their projects and present technical innovations from the world of quantum technology and photonics.

Thuringia scores with great expertise

Thuringia is the ideal location for the new Quantum Photonics trade fair. With a high-caliber density of research institutes, projects, networks, start-ups and companies, Thuringia is one of Europe's top locations. It also has a long tradition of high technology, particularly in the fields of optics and photonics. The Fraunhofer IOF in Jena is a pioneer in the field of quantum communication, quantum imaging and the development of a photonic quantum computer, and the University of Jena is also a driver of development in quantum technologies. “The University of Jena and the Fraunhofer IOF have helped to push the quantum train,” emphasizes Dr. Kevin Füchsel, Managing Director of Quantum Optics Jena GmbH.

Parallel event rapid.tech 3D

rapid.tech 3D, the leading trade fair for the additive manufacturing industry, will take place alongside Quantum Photonics from May 13 to 15, 2025. As the field of additive manufacturing is used in particular for many optically based quantum technologies, the interlinking of the two congress, forum and networking areas will create synergies for exhibitors and visitors.

An overview of the entire Quantum Photonics congress program and tickets for the congress and exhibition are available online at www.quantum-photonics.de.