Krishna Balram (inaugural lecture May 2026) develops photonic quantum engineering at the intersection of photonics, mechanics, and quantum information. Research: (1) piezoelectric optomechanical resonators (GaAs, AlN) for microwave-optical quantum transduction; (2) photonic integrated circuits for quantum sensing; (3) on-chip phononic and photonic crystal devices. Focuses on enabling technologies for quantum repeater nodes and sensors.

Bruce (Jun-Yu) Ou's group applies nanomechanics and nanophotonics to quantum sensor manipulation and AI hardware. Research: (1) ultracompact nanomechanical imaging optics for quantum sensor readout; (2) energy-efficient photonic AI hardware; (3) nanomechanical resonators for force sensing at the quantum limit; (4) nanophotonic interfaces to quantum sensors. Relevant to quantum sensor miniaturisation and readout.

Albert Schliesser's group engineers ultracoherent phononic crystal membrane resonators with dissipation-dilution Q>10^9 and uses them for quantum optomechanics: ground-state cooling, back-action-evading measurement, optical quantum memory for single photons, and microwave-optical quantum transduction. Recent work has demonstrated a soft-clamped topological phononic waveguide (Nature 2025) and scanning force microscopy below the standard quantum limit. The group bridges fundamental quantum physics with novel sensors for electromagnetic fields and forces, and mechanical interfaces for hybrid quantum networks.