PEPR Quantique has launched a new call for proposals to supplement research already undertaken through its targeted projects.

Representing the upstream component of the French national acceleration strategy for quantum technologies and funded through the France 2030 investment plan, the Programme et Équipements Prioritaires de Recherche (PEPR – Priority Research Programme and Equipment) titled Quantique (Quantum) aims to support national academic research on quantum technologies, from basic research to the proof of concept stage (TRL 1-4). The PEPR is co-led by the CEA, the CNRS and Inria and has a total budget of €150 million over six years. Among its missions are the structuring and coordinating of communities across the programme’s four research areas:

• Robust solid state qubits for quantum computing.
• Cold atomic qubits for quantum simulation extended to quantum sensors.
• Quantum algorithms extended to post-quantum.
• Quantum communication and beyond.

With the goals of supporting the structuring of scientific communities, providing a platform for young researchers and ensuring these researchers have the foundations to lead high-level teams, PEPR Quantique has launched a call for expressions of interest to support quantum projects led by young researchers. Supported projects must create a thematic connection with at least one targeted project from the PEPR. This may either mean creating a new branch on the same topic (exploring a variant, extension or application of the project’s main research topics) or extending a conceptual element of the project.

The programme is open to researchers and enseignant-es chercheur-ses (teacher-researchers) belonging to a French public research institution, regardless of their affiliated organisation. To qualify as a young researcher, the candidate must have held a permanent post for less than five years by the time the call closes. For candidates who have taken parental leave, an extension of 18 months per child is permitted.

Expected projects will have a maximum duration of three years. The maximum funding awarded per project will total €500,000, which includes management costs for the lead institution.