Quantum Communication from Saxony – Practical and Easy to Use

Although quantum technologies are often still perceived as a vision of the future, they are already emerging as a key enabler for secure communication.

However, entering the field remains challenging for interested users, as commercial quantum communication products are currently very expensive and affordable, scalable hardware solutions are not yet widely available on the market.

This is where the QKD-QUASAR project comes in. Fraunhofer IPMS and Fraunhofer IIS/EAS are jointly developing a compact and significantly more cost-effective evaluation kit for quantum communication. The easy-to-use plug-and-play solution is designed to provide a low-threshold entry point into quantum technologies, making quantum communication tangible for industry and enabling companies, research institutions, and educational partners to practically explore the technology without the need for expensive quantum laboratories or large-scale infrastructure.

In the future, the evaluation kit will be used in showrooms, at trade fairs, public events, as well as in education and professional training.

Successful implementation will be based on combining the complementary expertise of both Fraunhofer institutes. Fraunhofer IPMS contributes its experience in scalable and miniaturized quantum communication systems and components, while Fraunhofer IIS/EAS provides its expertise in SPAD detector technology.

Objectives

• Make quantum communication technology accessible to industry through a cost-effective plug-and-play demonstration platform.
• Increase the visibility of Saxony’s quantum technology expertise in industry, education, and the public domain.
• Significantly reduce system costs compared to existing commercial quantum communication solutions while ensuring practical applicability.