Imagine tiny light bulbs on a computer chip that emit single photons — particles of light so precise they can carry unbreakable secret codes or power future quantum computers. The problem is, current methods for making these light sources are like hand-placing gems one by one into a watch — impossible to scale up. S2QUIP figured out how to use ultra-thin 2D materials (think: sheets of semiconductor just one atom thick) to build these quantum light sources directly onto standard photonic chips, the same way you'd print circuits. Their goal was to get 20 of these sources working together on a single chip.
Quantum technologies like secure communication, quantum computing, and ultra-precise sensing all need reliable sources of single and entangled photons — but current methods cannot produce these at scale on a chip. Existing quantum light sources (quantum dots, crystal defects) require painstaking one-by-one placement in bulk materials, making mass production impractical. Without scalable on-chip quantum light sources, the entire quantum technology industry faces a critical bottleneck.
The project built photonic chips using 2D semiconductor materials that generate correlated photon pairs and single photons. Key deliverables include on-chip photon pair generation, multiplexed emitter integration, and large-scale photonic waveguide circuits with both passive and active elements — totaling 13 deliverables across the project.
If you are a telecom company preparing for quantum-secure communication networks — this project developed on-chip quantum light sources using 2D semiconductors that generate single and entangled photons. With a target of 20 multiplexed sources on one chip, this could replace bulky lab setups with compact, scalable hardware for quantum key distribution across your fiber networks.
If you are a cybersecurity firm looking for next-generation encryption hardware — this project built photonic chips that deterministically generate entangled photon pairs for quantum-secure communications. The 2D semiconductor approach allows surface processing instead of bulk processing, making manufacturing significantly more practical than current quantum dot methods.
If you are a photonic chip manufacturer seeking to add quantum capabilities to your product line — this project demonstrated fabrication of large-scale photonic waveguide circuits with integrated active and passive elements using 2D semiconductor materials. The surface-processing approach is compatible with existing chip fabrication methods, reducing the barrier to scaling production.
Based on available project data, no specific licensing costs or pricing are disclosed. The technology was developed under an RIA (Research and Innovation Action) with public funding, so IP is held by the 9-partner consortium led by Universitaet Paderborn. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with the consortium.
The project explicitly targeted scalability — its core goal was demonstrating 20 multiplexed quantum light sources on a single chip. The use of 2D materials with surface processing (rather than bulk processing) was chosen specifically because it is more compatible with standard chip fabrication. However, this remains at the research-to-prototype stage.
IP is owned by the consortium of 9 partners across 5 countries (DE, ES, FI, SE, UK), coordinated by Universitaet Paderborn. The 2 industry partners and 2 SMEs in the consortium may hold specific commercialization rights. Detailed IP arrangements would need to be discussed with the coordinator.
Current technologies use quantum dots or crystal defects embedded in bulk materials, which are difficult to integrate and scale on chips. S2QUIP's 2D semiconductor approach allows deterministic placement using surface processing, which the project claims far surpasses the state-of-the-art in scalability.
The project produced 13 deliverables including 4 key demonstrations: photon pair generation on a photonic chip, on-chip scalability with multiple integrated emitters, multiplexed photon pair sources, and fabrication of large-scale photonic waveguide circuits with passive and active elements.
Not yet. This is a FET Flagship research project that demonstrated core capabilities at chip level. The technology would need further engineering, reliability testing, and manufacturing process development before commercial products could be built. The 2 industry partners in the consortium may be pursuing follow-on development.
The S2QUIP consortium brings together 9 partners from 5 countries (Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, UK), with a strong academic backbone of 6 universities and 1 research organization. The 2 industry partners (both SMEs) provide a commercial perspective, though the 22% industry ratio signals this is primarily a research-driven effort. Universitaet Paderborn in Germany leads the coordination. For a business looking to adopt this technology, the academic depth means strong scientific foundations, but commercialization would likely require additional industrial engineering and manufacturing partnerships beyond the current consortium.
Universitaet Paderborn (Germany) — contact via project website or university physics/photonics department
Want an introduction to the S2QUIP team to discuss licensing or collaboration? SciTransfer can arrange a direct connection with the coordinator at Universitaet Paderborn.
