Optical communication specialist Korea Advanced Materials (formerly PPI) announced on the 8th that it has signed a technology transfer agreement for quantum light source chip technology using quantum entangled photon pairs jointly developed by the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and KAIST.
This technology is based on a PPLN (Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate) photonic integrated circuit developed by ETRI’s Quantum Technology Research Division of the Artificial Intelligence Computing Research Institute, which generates quantum entangled photon pairs. It enables the implementation of multi-node and long-distance quantum networks based on quantum teleportation, and is used in quantum cryptography communication, quantum computers, and the quantum internet.
The technology included in this contract is a quantum light source that generates quantum entanglement, including the process technology of periodically poled lithium niobate (LiNbO3) optical waveguide chips and the license to use related patents.
A representative from Korea Advanced Materials explained, “Technology utilizing quantum entanglement has the potential to dramatically improve data security,” adding, “In particular, when this technology is used in communications, it features immunity to external attacks such as hacking, making it applicable in various fields including finance, government, and healthcare.”
Leading quantum light source manufacturers include a few global companies monopolizing the technology and leading the ecosystem, such as Hyperlight in the U.S., Covesion in the U.K., and HCP in China.
The company stated, “The quantum entangled light source chip technology transferred from ETRI was jointly developed with KAIST and is a device with enhanced nonlinearity (high-efficiency photon pair generation rate),” adding, “It has the advantage of superior generation efficiency characteristics compared to overseas products, making it a favorable technology from a commercialization perspective.”
Korea Advanced Materials has completed the development of an optical interferometer module, an essential component of the quantum key distribution system (QKD) that plays a crucial role in quantum cryptography communication, and is supplying it to IDQ (Switzerland), Europe’s leading quantum cryptography system company.
This technology delays and splits beams at both the transmitter and receiver, utilizing optical interference phenomena to modulate the phase of single photons and transmit cryptographic key information on single photons.
According to global market research firm Mind Commerce, the global quantum communication market size was estimated at KRW 3.5998 trillion in 2024. The global quantum communication market revenue is expected to exceed KRW 10 trillion by 2027, growing at an average annual rate of 39.8%, reaching KRW 24.5793 trillion by 2030.
The quantum key distribution (QKD) market size this year is approximately KRW 1.4006 trillion, and it is predicted to grow at an average annual rate of 50.0%, reaching KRW 13.4168 trillion by 2030.
The government enacted the “Quantum Science Technology and Quantum Industry Promotion Act (Quantum Technology Industry Act)” and began its enforcement on the 1st of this month. This includes plans for establishing a research foundation for quantum science technology and systematic promotion of the quantum industry.
The Quantum Technology Industry Act includes ▲establishing a comprehensive quantum plan presenting mid- to long-term strategies ▲setting up an inter-ministerial quantum strategy committee ▲building research and industrial hubs for national capacity consolidation ▲creating an ecosystem and managing full-cycle human resource development ▲technology commercialization to establish virtuous cycles of technology development and industry ▲supporting strategic international cooperation.
A representative from Korea Advanced Materials stated, “Considering market growth and government support policies, the company is fully committed to the rapidly expanding quantum information communication technology,” adding, “We will contribute to the development of the domestic and international quantum industry through core technology transfers and in-house technology development.”
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