Prof. Dr. Philip Walther
University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology (VCQ),
Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) Vienna, Austrian Academy of Sciences
Venue: Wave Auditorium, Masdar Office
5th November 2025, 11:00AM - 12:00PM (GST)
| Title: | Exploiting Quantum Photonics for Quantum Machine Learning |
| Abstract: | After providing a brief overview of recent advancements in the generation and processing of multi-photon states [1], I will show the potential of photonic quantum machine learning. After presenting a quantum-enhanced reinforcement learning using a tunable integrated processor [2], I will discuss our development of a so-called quantum memristor for single photons [3]. These devices, which can mimic the behavior of neurons and synapses, hold great promise for the realization of quantum neural networks. I will also present how photonic processors can implementing quantum-enhanced kernels for machine learning tasks [4]. At the end I will change topic by briefly discussing the flexibility of photonic systems for tasks that require non-standard quantum computer architectures [5]; and potentially update about our ongoing experimental research aiming to explore the interface between quantum mechanics and general relativity by performing high-precision experiments using entangled photon states as probe[]6]. [1] Science Advances 10, eadj0993 (2024). [2] Nature 591, 229 (2021). [3] Nature Photonics 16, 318 (2022). [4] Nature Photonics 19, 1020 (2025). [5] Optica 10, 200 (2023). [6] Science Advances 10, eadov0215 (2024). |
| Bio: | Philip Walther is Professor for experimental quantum physics at the University of Vienna, Austria. After receiving his PhD degree in Physics from the University of Vienna, he worked as postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard University, USA. In 2008 he returned to Vienna to establish his own research group. His research is dedicated to the development of advanced quantum technology for applications in quantum information processing and for investigations in quantum science using quantum states of light. In 2025 an international team of scientists led by Philip Walther built a photonic quantum computer that can survive the harsh environmental conditions of a space mission. He has been awarded several prizes, among them the Fresnel Prize and the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Prize; and is also recipient of an ERC Synergy Grant. He is Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) and the Optical Society of America (OSA); and co-founder of the startup QUBO Technology that is dedicated to the commercialization of photonic quantum technology. |