From June 29 to July 2, 2026, Télécom Paris hosted the 2nd International Conference on Quantum Engineered Sensing and Information Technology (QUEST 2026), dedicated to quantum sensing, photonics, and the engineering of quantum materials and devices. Plenary and keynote lectures were delivered by, among others, Prof. Tobias J. Kippenberg (EPFL) and Prof. Alan E. Willner (University of Southern California). The QLAB Center was represented by two of its research group leaders, who spoke at the organizers’ invitation: Prof. Magdalena Stobińska-Moretto in the “Photonic Integration” session (June 30) and Dr. hab. Michał Karpiński in the “Quantum Emitters and Detectors” session (June 29).
Prof. Magdalena Stobińska-Moretto, Director of QLAB and leader of the Quantum-Safe Communication group, presented the talk “Long-range photonic device-independent quantum key distribution using SPDC sources and linear optics” – immediately following Prof. Willner’s plenary lecture in the conference’s main amphitheatre. She described a device-independent quantum key distribution (DI QKD) protocol developed by her team which overcomes long-standing range barriers using standard photon sources (SPDC) and linear optics. The technology is fundamental to the security of future networks: confidentiality is guaranteed by the laws of physics rather than by trust in hardware.
Dr. hab. Michał Karpiński, leader of the Quantum Communication Infrastructure and Photonic Information Processing group, delivered the talk “Spectral-temporal shaping and detection of mid-infrared single-photon pulses”, devoted to controlling single photons in time and frequency in the mid-infrared – a region of the spectrum that opens new possibilities for quantum communication and ultra-sensitive detection.
The QUEST 2026 speaker line-up also featured Prof. Eleni Diamanti and Prof. Julien Laurat of Sorbonne University – members of QLAB’s International Scientific Committee. The Paris conference was thus not only an opportunity to present the Center’s results on an international stage, but also to strengthen collaboration within the European quantum technology ecosystem.