Lecture

Illuminating Quantum Frontiers: From Photons to Emerging Technologies

As we mark a century since the birth of quantum mechanics, this talk reflects on the transformative impact of Quantum Optics and Nonlinear Optics in both deepening our understanding of the quantum world and enabling emerging technologies. I will present highlights from our work, including the original development of entangled photon sources and advances in quantum memory protocols -- underscoring how light-based approaches continue to shape quantum innovation. While these advances on the "light side" open exciting possibilities, on the “dark side” lies growing concerns about quantum vulnerabilities -- even in cutting-edge quantum devices, security is only as strong as the weakest engineering link! We address the challenges posed by decoherence — a barrier to scalable quantum systems, and outline strategies for its mitigation.