Professor Amr Helmy (ECE) is mapping photonics in new ways. He is harnessing the quantum attributes of photons, the smallest unit of light, to develop an innovative approach to quantum sensing and communication.
“What makes our approach unique is how we’re combining both high and low energy photons where traditionally we utilized one option over another,” says Helmy.
“This gives us the best of both worlds, which has broad-reaching applications in both research and industry, from communications to medical imaging and much more.”
Helmy’s research team has received funding through a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Alliance grant, to implement existing techniques onto photons with different wavelengths and colours, specifically in the radio frequency spectrum, such as cellular and Wi-Fi.
Applications of photons range from sensing and three-dimensional mapping such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and radar, to communications and bio-imaging. Photons vary in energy levels and wavelength, with each type having its own unique benefits and limitations. High-energy photons are typically used in fibre optics while radio waves and microwaves are an example of low-energy photons.
Conventionally, communication and sensing applications use high-energy photons in the near-infrared spectrum. However, this approach has limitations because of the photons’ properties, such as their travel distance and wavelength, which are determined by the specific spectrum used. To solve this challenge, Helmy is working to combine both high and low-energy photons to harness the best attributes of each.
The potential impact of this research is broad, including possibly scaling certain types of quantum computers in medicine by developing new biosensing methods.
“By linking the quantum properties of both low and high-energy photons, we aim to pioneer new types of sensing and bioimaging, while also enhancing the performance and range of communication systems,” says Helmy.
Low-energy photons, such as radio waves for example, can travel over long distances and effectively penetrate certain materials. Alternatively, high-energy photons, such as the visible spectrum, can provide detailed imaging capabilities, enhancing sensing applications. Helmy hopes that combining these two strengths will result in far-reaching and more detailed communications and imaging systems.
The team is also focusing on mapping the quantum advantages in LiDAR to radar.
“There are advantages to using LiDAR technologies, which utilize higher energy photons, but these benefits don’t apply to radar, which relies on low energy photons,” says Helmy.
“Harnessing the ability to transition between high and low energy photon states is crucial in quantum computing. This capability of converting between different photon energies is essential for scaling various quantum computing architectures.”
