The project, part of the Valencian Community's Quantum Communication Plan, is a collaborative effort between the University of Valencia, the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the University of Alicante, and CEU Cardenal Herrera University. Together, these institutions are driving a new wave of innovation to position the Valencian Community as a leader in quantum technologies applied to fields such as telecommunications, cybersecurity, and healthcare.
The QUANTUMABLE-1 project is based on a concept developed by the UPV and already patented: the FPPGA (Field Programmable Photonic Gate Array), a technology that allows the creation of programmable photonic chips, capable of processing information through light.
The goal now is to adapt this advance to the quantum realm, designing an architecture that allows for the programming and control of quantum signals using photons. In other words, the team aims to enable photonic chips to work with quantum information flexibly and efficiently, opening the door to new applications in telecommunications, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
“We want to demonstrate that light can be the basis of the processors of the future,” explained Professor Ivana Gasulla, principal investigator of the project. “Our work opens the door to a new generation of chips capable of managing quantum information, something that until now only existed in theory,” she added.
From theory to practice: a global technological challenge
Integrated programmable photonics, the field in which this research is framed, seeks to design optical chips as versatile as electronic microprocessors. Thanks to their programmability, a single chip can perform different functions without the need to manufacture a new one for each application.
QUANTUMABLE-1 will take this concept to the next level by incorporating the ability to manipulate quantum light signals, integrating both photon sources and detectors on a single chip.
The challenge is significant: it requires combining different materials, reducing optical losses, and developing control algorithms capable of handling so-called redundancy qubits, key components for ensuring the stability and reliability of quantum information.
“This project demonstrates that photonics can offer a practical and scalable path to quantum processing,” the researcher added. “It’s not just about making quantum computing possible, but about making it more accessible and adaptable to the real needs of industry.”.
University collaboration to promote quantum technology
This project is one of eleven that make up the Quantum Communication Plan, led by four prestigious universities: the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), the University of Valencia (UV), the University of Alicante (UA), and the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (CEU-UCH). Together, these initiatives encompass a wide range of research and development lines with the aim of promoting quantum technology and its applications in strategic areas such as telecommunications and cybersecurity, thus consolidating the Valencian Community as a leader in technological innovation at both the national and international levels.
With over half a century of history, the Universitat Politècnica de València is a leading public institution in research, teaching, and knowledge transfer. With nearly 28,000 students, 2,500 faculty and researchers, and 1,500 administrative and support staff, the UPV maintains a constant commitment to innovation and technological development.
“Quantum science isn’t built solely on formulas, but also on collaboration and a vision for the future,” concluded Ivana Gasulla. “At the UPV, we want to contribute our knowledge so that quantum advances truly reach society.”.
About the Valencian Plan for Quantum Communication
The Complementary Plan for Quantum Communications is part of the EU Resilience Plan and has a total budget of €76 million. This plan aims to promote research and development in the field of quantum communications, a key technology for the future of telecommunications.
The Valencian Community is one of the communities that have participated in this project since 2022, along with Castile and León, Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia and the Community of Madrid, as well as the Higher Council for Scientific Research.
In the case of the Valencian Community, the funding for this plan comes mostly from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, which provides 65% of the funds, equivalent to €1,169,671.10, while the remaining 35%, some €629,822.90, is financed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Universities and Employment.
