Areas of Activity of the Council

As the name suggests, the Headquarters for the Development of Optical and Quantum Technologies operates in two main areas: technologies related to optics, photonics, and lasers, as well as quantum technologies such as quantum computing, quantum communications, sensors, and more. In the field of optics, the activities of this headquarters are outlined below. Some of these areas are more central and receive greater focus based on the headquarters' roadmap and the country's needs, while others, although they may not be prioritized at the top of the headquarters' agenda, are still welcomed for related projects.

Areas of Activity in Optics, Photonics, and Lasers:

  1. Lasers and Light Sources: This includes support for the production of various lasers with specific applications and light sources used in illumination and other applications.

  3. Measurement, Sensing, and Detection: Encompassing various photonic sensors, machine vision systems, remote sensing, imaging systems, spectroscopy, measurement, and control in industrial production lines, among others.

  5. Biophotonics: Covering various biological imaging systems, microscopes, biological sensors, analysis and medical diagnostics systems (based on the use of light), radiation-absorbing biomaterials, environmental biopollution sensors, and more.

  7. Optics and Optical Components: Involving the manufacture of various specialized optical components (such as lenses, optical filters, mirrors, waveguides, etc.), integrated optical circuits, specialized optomechanics, and the production of tools for optical component fabrication.

  9. Optical Telecommunications: Comprising the production of special optical fibers, data transmission path measurement devices, various fiber optic components, modulation and fiber optic production systems, and related components.

  11. Photovoltaics and Photonic Materials: Developing and enhancing the efficiency of various solar cells, producing various photonic crystals, photonics nanoparticles, two-dimensional and three-dimensional light-absorbing layers or detectors, developing systems for photonic material production, and more.

  13. Terahertz: Manufacturing sources of terahertz waves and related detectors, creating imaging, spectroscopy, and terahertz communication systems, and more.

  15. Plasma: Encompassing the production of various medical and beauty treatment systems, increasing seed efficiency, agricultural and food product sterilization, dyeing and color enhancement of textiles and polymer surfaces, altering the electrostatic properties of surfaces, and more.

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Areas of Activity in Optics and Quantum:

  1. Quantum Computing and Information: So far, over ten methods have been proposed for building quantum computers. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the most important methods for building quantum computers include superconducting, trapped ions, neutral atoms, photonic integrated circuits, NMR, diamond-based, Annealing, topological, and semiconductor-based (silicon) methods.

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    Additionally, one of the focus areas in this section is related to quantum programming and quantum software. Numerous quantum algorithms have been proposed to date for various applications and are still rapidly evolving. Some of the most important quantum software includes Quantum Neural Network (QNN), Variational Quantum Boltzmann Machines (QBM), Variable Depth Quantum Circuits (vVQC), Hybrid Quantum Autoencoders (HQA), Quantum Reservoir Computing (QRC), Quantum Multiclass Classifier (QMCC), Support Vector Machines with a Quantum Kernel Estimator (QSVM-Kernel), Hybrid k-Neighbours-Nearby Model (HKNN), Quantum Generative Adversarial Networks (QGAN), QAOA, and VQE.

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    These algorithms find applications in various fields such as biomedicine, pharmaceuticals and chemistry, financial modeling, supply chain optimization, natural language processing, cybersecurity, climate modeling, energy optimization, physics, and more. Quantum-related software is also one of the active areas in this field. Quantum software refers to programs used to develop and execute quantum algorithms. These software packages consist of libraries, languages, and programming tools used to develop quantum algorithms and simulate them on quantum computers. They enable us to run more complex algorithms and larger systems for quantum computations on quantum computers and simulation systems. Some examples of quantum software include Qiskit, Forest/PyQuil, Cirq, Openfermion, Q#, Strawberry Fields & PennyLane, ProjectQ, Ocean, and t|ket>.

  7. Quantum Communication: Due to its importance in national security, quantum communications need rapid attention and development. Skilled domestic experts have already made significant progress in this field. Quantum communication can be realized through two main approaches: discrete-variable and continuous-variable. Various protocols have been proposed for each of these approaches. To ensure security and reduce costs, it is essential to develop quantum communication equipment domestically. The indigenous production of quantum key distribution (QKD) devices is one of the reasons for domesticating these technologies. Therefore, the headquarters aims to establish a domestic and limited QKD network between sensitive points in the next three years with the support of relevant entities.

  9. Quantum Sensors: Fortunately, capable domestic experts have already started efforts to achieve important quantum sensors. Each quantum sensor has different construction methods, and their applications may vary accordingly. Moreover, the readiness level of each of these sensors also varies. The headquarters should be able to design an appropriate roadmap for the next five years, support competitive sensor designers in the international market, and develop the necessary infrastructure for the development of each of the mentioned construction methods."

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