Marco Lucamarini
Professor - Chair of Experimental Quantum Communications

Profile

Biography

Professor Lucamarini is since 2020 the Chair of Experimental Quantum Communications at the University of York, where he leads a research group of around 20 members. He is also Co-Director of the York Centre for Quantum Technologies, where he spearheads multi-departmental initiatives and oversees state-of-the-art laboratories at the University’s Institute for Safe Autonomy. With over 20 years of experience in Quantum Technologies, he is best known for his pioneering work in high-rate, long-distance quantum communications, enabling secure communications over standard optical fibre between geographically distant cities.

At the University of York, Professor Lucamarini has successfully secured substantial funding for Quantum Technologies, including serving as Principal Investigator for the University’s Strategic Investment Fund and as Co-Investigator for the UK EPSRC Research Hub on Integrated Quantum Networks. Prior to joining the University of York, he held a senior research position at Toshiba Research Europe in Cambridge, where he played a pivotal role in establishing the UK's first quantum network. He is an active member of ETSI and former member of ISO and ITU-T, contributing to the standardisation of Quantum Technologies.

University roles

• Chair of Experimental Quantum Communications
• Co-Director of the York Centre for Quantum Technologies
• Manager of the Quantum Labs at the Institute for Safe Autonomy
• Chair of the Steering Committee for QCrypt 2025, the flagship conference on Quantum Cryptography

Research

Overview

Interests

• Quantum Cryptography, Communications & Networks
• Quantum Optics, Generation of Single & Entangled Photons
• Quantum Information & Computation
• Quantum Technologies, Repeaters & Memories
• Implementation Security of Quantum Systems

Highlights

• Design and implementation of the first effective quantum repeater
• First quantum digital signatures secure from attacks on detectors
• Record high secure key rate quantum key distribution and measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution systems
• Quantum Networks in Tokyo and Cambridge
• Implementation security of real quantum communication systems
• Standardization of quantum key distribution

Publications
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Z6ECDXYAAAAJ&hl=en

Available PhD research projects

I welcome enquiries and applications from those interested in quantum communications at any scale, small, medium and long, both in free space and in optical fibres, and in the generation and manipulation of single and entangled photons. Special emphasis will be given to projects related to twin-field and continuous-variable quantum key distribution. 

External activities

Media coverage

2023

• 3 Oct, “First time test of UK / Ireland quantum communications with underwater cable” – University of York [link]
• 3 Oct, “For the first time, researchers successfully demonstrate over euNetworks’ fibre infrastructure that quantum communication is possible between the United Kingdom and Ireland” [link]
• 3 Oct, eeNews Europe, “Quantum communication breakthrough: goes subsea, international” [link]
• 3 Oct, Tech Monitor, “First quantum communications link tested between UK and Ireland” [link]
• 3 Oct, Capacity, “euNetworks selected for quantum communications between UK and Ireland” [link]
• 3 Oct, Business Wire, “For the First Time, Researchers Successfully Demonstrate Over euNetworks’ Fibre Infrastructure That Quantum Communication Is Possible Between the United Kingdom and Ireland” [link]
• 5 Oct, Optics.org “Quantum link can connect UK and Ireland” [link]

2020

• 13 Apr, C. Patrick, Fast-gated detectors afford more secure communication, AIP Scilight [link]

2019

• 24 Apr, W. Tittel, Quantum key distribution breaking limits, News & Views, Nature Photonics [link]
• 25 Apr, J. Prisco, Quantum Xchange and Toshiba working together to make QKD a commercial reality [link]

2018

• 2 May, CRL press release, Toshiba Redefines the Limit of Intercity Secure Communications [link]
• 2 May, New Scientist, Quantum internet is one step closer thanks to new theory [link]
• 2 May, Optics.org, Toshiba extends limits of secure intercity comms [link]
• 2 May, SciTech Europa, Toshiba announces new protocol for quantum key distribution 
• 3 May, Gizmodo, Toshiba Has a Plan to Extend Quantum Security to Record-Breaking Distances [link]
• 3 May, CBR, This Quantum Cryptography Breakthrough Uses Twin Particles of Light [link]
• 3 May, Computer Weekly, Fibre network breakthrough has implications for data security [link]
• 3 May, Cosmos, Quantum communication starts to repeat itself [link]
• 4 May, Naked security by Sophos, Breakthrough pushes Quantum Key Distribution beyond 500 km [link]
• 28 Jun, D. F. P. Pile, Twin-Field QKD, Research Highlights, Nature Photonics [link]

2017

• 3 Feb, Fibre Systems, A Quantum of Security, interview with M. Lucamarini by A. Extance [link]
• 8 Feb, Techworld, The future of banking security: take a glimpse at the BT Adastral research centre [link]
• 15 Sep, Toshiba News, Toshiba Pushes Quantum Key Distribution Speed Beyond 10Mbps, Toshiba press release [link]
• 18 Sep, Optics.org, Toshiba speeds quantum key beyond 10 Mb/s [link]
• 29 Nov, IT-Online, Quantum cryptography will be ultra-secure [link]

2016

• 4 Apr, University of Cambridge, Laser Technique Promises Super-fast and Super-secure Quantum Cryptography [link]
• 5 Apr, Phys.org, Laser technique promises super-fast and super-secure quantum cryptography [link]
• 5 Apr, EurekAlert! New laser technique promises super-fast and super-secure quantum cryptography [link]
• 5 Apr, Science Daily, New laser technique promises super-fast and super-secure quantum cryptography [link]
• 6 Apr, The Register, Turbo-charged quantum crypto? You'll need Cambridge laser boffins for that [link]
• 7 Apr, Technology.org, Laser technique promises super-fast and super-secure quantum cryptography [link]
• 11 Apr, Primeur Magazine, New laser technique promises super-fast and super-secure quantum cryptography [link]
• 16 Apr, TrendinTech, New Laser Technique Promises Super-fast and Secure Quantum Cryptography [link]
• 20 Sep, APS Physics, Synopsis: Controlling a Laser’s Phase [link]
• 5 Oct, Electronics Weekly.com, Quantum cryptography demoes 200Gbit/s over 100km fibre [link]
• 13 Oct, BT News, BT and Toshiba launch UK's first quantum security showcase [link]
• 13 Oct, Finextra, BT and Toshiba open quantum security showcase [link]

2015

• 22 Jun, The Wall Street Journal, Toshiba Working on Unbreakable Encryption Technology [link]
• 23 Jun, Pymnts.com, Toshiba Pursuing Hacker-Resistant Encryption [link]
• 9 Sep, APS Physics, Synopsis: How to tame a Trojan horse [link]
• 16 Sep, PhysicsWorld, Physicists defend against Trojan-horse quantum hackers [link]
• 17 Sep, Phys.org, Researchers develop simple way to ward off Trojan attacks on quantum cryptographic systems [link]
• 5 Oct, Electronics Weekly.com, Quantum cryptography demoes 200Gbit/s over 100km fibre [link]