The Era of Quantum has Arrived: Celebrating the UN International Year of Quantum Science and Technology at G&H
Quantum science has always been a paradox—simultaneously abstract and foundational, bewildering and enigmatic. Just by looking at the history of quantum mechanics, one can deduce how tumultuous the road has been since its discovery. It all started on October 7th, 1900, when Max Planck wrote the first equation linked to quantum science – what we now know as the Planck distribution of black-body radiation. From there, the field has evolved to underpin emerging applications in quantum computing, sensing, medicine, and communication. Today, quantum is not just a concept—it's becoming a cornerstone of real-world systems, fueled by engineering, photonics, and bold ambition.
At G&H (LON:GHH), we are proud to celebrate World Quantum Day, and the United Nations' declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) by highlighting how our people and our technologies are helping move quantum from mystery to momentum.
What is Quantum, Anyway?
What makes quantum so powerful—and so difficult—is its very nature. At this level, particles don’t behave as individuals but as entangled, codependent systems. These strange but beautiful properties—superposition, coherence, entanglement—are the foundation of what will soon redefine industries from medicine to navigation.
The challenge? These systems are delicate, highly sensitive to noise and imperfection. Designing components that support quantum performance isn’t just difficult, it’s transformative. It demands precision, creativity, and a refusal to settle for “good enough.”
At G&H, we meet this challenge with a sense of mission. Because every photon we help control brings the quantum future one step closer to reality.
As mentioned by Dr. Stratos Kehayas, President of Photonics at G&H, “Humans are not thinking fast enough to sustain the same level of evolution we have been seeing in the last few years – we need machines to help us advance as a species and get the answers we need. […] Simply put, we need Quantum Computers and AI to think for us, biophotonic integrated systems so we can live longer, and an infinite supply of energy – so I can finally take my well-deserved vacation to Alpha Centauri.”
What was once the domain of solo thinkers is now in the hands of engineers. In fact, some of today’s most significant breakthroughs in quantum technology are being driven by the private sector. At G&H, our engineering teams working on advanced quantum componentry and applications stand at the precipice of physics applicability. That is because so much of quantum science remains unexplored. The hardest part about working in such a novel field is transforming theoretical concepts into hands-on solutions with utility in the real world. But once that genie is out of the bottle, the sky is the limit.
The Next Breakthroughs in Scientific Research
Charina Chou, COO at Google Quantum AI, noted in her 2025 SXSW talk “Quantum Computing—The What, Why, and When” that the discoveries made public in quantum science, big or small, are comparable to how the human genome was ultimately announced to the public. In her words, each step required to achieve the quantum state “doesn’t solve everything we need to know, but it advances our understanding.” We apply the same rationale at G&H with our quantum-enabling components and products, from high-reliability acousto-optic deflectors to high-power handling Visible Wavelength PM Couplers. Some notable breakthroughs our company has supervised through our bespoke quantum solutions are:
- Improving Atomic Clock Accuracy
Time is one of the most fundamental measurements we make—but perfecting it takes quantum precision. Using atoms to perfect the oscillation movement needed to track down time accurately has revolutionized many fields, from space communications and global positioning systems to data centers and military applications. G&H engineers in Torquay are helping lead this charge, developing fiber optics and laser technologies for rubidium atomic clocks which represent the most popular structure for today’s high-performing atomic clocks. Applications include satellite networks, secure communications, and deep-space exploration.
Because when time must be measured in billionths of a second, only the most stable, photonic systems will do.
- Enhancing Quantum Device Software Design
To unlock the power of quantum software, you need more than code—you need light you can trust. Our AO devices give engineers the ability to steer beams, shift frequencies, and precisely manipulate light, which is essential for quantum computing, communication, and sensing.
Having been deployed in a variety of demanding systems, the G&H AO deflectors and modulators line showcase precise manipulation and positioning of cold atoms and ions, an ultra-fast switching and routing of optical signals, as well as high-speed addressing of individual or multiple qubits, enabling beam multiplexing. Especially for quantum computing and communication, multiplexing is crucial for scaling quantum networks. That is because the technique allows multiple quantum bits (qubits) to simultaneously transmit data, significantly increasing the rate of communication transfer. The vertically integrated production line at G&H guarantees first-class quality of materials and testing, enabling the safest, high performing quantum solutions.
- Taking Quantum Sensing into Space
Space is vast—and silent. But with quantum sensing, we can start to listen. From climate to gravitational forces, G&H’s rugged fiber optics and modulators help researchers take fragile quantum sensors into some of the harshest environments imaginable.
From gravitational measurements to climate monitoring and astrophysics research, advanced sensors in space are leveraging quantum phenomena to reach ultra-precise measurements. Such technology requires rugged fiber optics applications such as the G&H high-performance Fiber-Q® acousto-optic modulators and Visible Wavelength PM Couplers that have a hermetic, harsh environment tested design for long-term reliability and seamless integration into all-fiber and OEM systems.
- Developing Quantum Cryptography
In an era of rising digital threats, quantum may offer the only truly unbreakable encryption. G&H is advancing ultra-low-noise, high-reliability fiber optic solutions that support QKD—technology that might someday protect everything from government secrets to personal health data.
Advanced fiber optics are paramount to a quantum key distribution (QKD) system for secured communications. Because QKD allows two parties to generate a shared, secret key for encrypting data, it creates a communication channel that remains secure - even against quantum computers. The high reliability, ultra-low-noise fiber optic capability developed under the G&H umbrella may prove to be the best choice for advancing quantum cryptography. While the technology is not yet developed to its fullest capacity, private actors such as Unisys are pre-emptively preparing Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) capabilities to defend against future quantum threats, creating more opportunities for the evolution of this branch.
- Advancing Atom Interferometry
It sounds like science fiction: imaging what lies underground with beams of light and chilled atoms. But that’s exactly what atom interferometry is unlocking. Through collaborations with leading universities and companies, G&H is building laser systems that help map hidden structures, guide spacecraft, and navigate without GPS.
In 2016, G&H developed a laser-cooled Magneto Optical Trap (MOT) in partnership with e2V and the University of Birmingham for high-bandwidth applications. The solution serves atom-interferometry for gravity sensing and imaging of subterranean structures, inertial navigation, and satellite gravity mapping. Within this project, the G&H team demonstrated atom cooling with a wavelength stabilized at 780nm second harmonic fiber laser system. Such forward-moving steps prove why atom interferometry pushes the boundaries of sensitivity, stability, and accuracy, far beyond what classical technologies are able to achieve today. This creates opportunities for quantum breakthroughs in space and general exploration missions.
At G&H, we see our role not just as a supplier—but as a partner to the visionaries, engineers, and researchers making quantum technologies work in the real world. That’s why we’re proud to celebrate the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, and even prouder to keep building the systems that make its future possible.
Quantum is hard. It’s beautiful. It’s changing everything.
And we’re here for it.
G&H Quantum Technology Solutions
G&H is at the forefront of quantum innovation, providing advanced acousto-optic (AO) and fiber optic (FO) solutions.
