Quantum research across the full spectrum

This week, the 2024 General Meeting of the Quantum Center, ETH Zurich took place in Schwägalp, at the foot of Mount Säntis in northeastern Switzerland. More than 80 participants from 30 research groups across five ETH Zürich departments, the PSI Paul Scherrer Institut and Empa came to learn about each other's research, exchange ideas between groups, and possibly start new collaborations — and friendships.

The General Meeting is a fixture in our calendar, as it is the one event that highlights probably like no other the enormous spectrum of research and expertise in quantum science and technology in the Quantum Center. And the 2024 edition certainly did not disappoint.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Swiss Alps, not only was a remarkable breadth of research areas represented, but also researchers at all levels, from Master students to professors. We were particularly pleased that five INSPIRE awardees followed the invitation to join the meeting.

It was also a great privilege that Peter Zoller (Universität Innsbruck & Institut für Quantenoptik und Quanteninformation (IQOQI) in Innsbruck) agreed to give this year's keynote address. He took us on an exciting journey through quantum simulation with atoms and ions, filled to the brim with remarkable results and insights. No wonder there were many questions.

The invited talks by our newest members Rachel Grange, Nicolò Defenu and Puneet Murthy beautifully illustrated the diversity of research interests pursued at the Quantum Center, from quantum photonic integrated devices, to equilibration and thermalization of long-range quantum systems, to nanoscale control of excitons in 2D-material heterostructures.

This variety and breadth — but equally the enthusiasm of the researchers — was at display as well in the contributed talks by the Quantum Center groups present at the General Meeting. The same was true for the poster flashes and the poster session itself, which provided a rich panorama of current research in quantum science and technology, with 27 contributions. (For details, please have a look into the Abstract Booklet.)

And there was a competitive element as well: Two posters were awarded the Quantum Center Poster Prize. The excitement was palpable as the winners were announced by incoming Quantum Center Executive Director Anu Unnikrishnan : Diana Prado Lopes Aude Craik, postdoc in the Trapped Ion Quantum Information group of Jonathan Home for her poster "Searching for a fifth fundamental force using isotope-shift spectroscopy of Ca+"; and Majid Zahedian , PhD student in the Experimental Quantum Engineering group of Wenchao Xu for his poster "Towards a new architecture for dual-element atom arrays".

The fantastic atmosphere during the sessions was matched by the impressive mountain scenery. Even the weather was kind to us — while the conference dinner on Mount Säntis started in the clouds, after some lightning and thunder a spectacular view opened up in perfect time for the sunset.

Once again, many thanks to all attendees for their enthusiastic participation and we look forward to the General Meeting 2025.

All photos: Eva-Corinna Fritz and Francesca Bay

For more photos, please visit https://qc.ethz.ch/news-events/general-meeting.html