Pan Jianwei group (USTC)

QKDNetworkingQuantum computersSources & detectors active

Institution: University of Science and Technology of China (USTC)
Lab / Centre: Hefei National Laboratory · CAS Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics
Also: SIMIT (CAS) — SNSPDs and the Beijing–Shanghai trunk
Location: Hefei, Anhui, China
Group website: https://quantum.ustc.edu.cn/web/web/en
Group founded: 2001

Pan Jianwei's group at USTC is a leading experimental quantum-networking and photonic-quantum-information laboratory. The programme spans satellite QKD (Micius; Jinan-1; the 2025 Beijing–Stellenbosch intercontinental link), long-haul fibre QKD (Beijing–Shanghai 2,032 km trunk; twin-field QKD to 1,002 km), photonic quantum computing (the Jiuzhang boson-sampling series), and multi-photon entanglement distribution. Pan founded the QuantumCTek spinout (2009) and the Jinan Institute of Quantum Technology. Current focus is space–ground integrated quantum networking.

Current focus: Quantum foundations, communication, computing and metrology — Per the division's own framing (quantum.ustc.edu.cn) — "Explore quantum mystery, enable quantum applications!" — research directions cover quantum foundations, fibre-based and free-space quantum communication, quantum memory and quantum repeaters, optical and superconducting quantum computing, ultra-cold-atom quantum simulation, and quantum metrology.

Milestones

2025-03 Jinan-1 microsatellite establishes Beijing–Stellenbosch 12,900 km QKD link — first inter-hemisphere QKD paper
2023-05 Twin-field QKD secret-key delivered over 1,002 km field fibre paper
2022-07 Jinan-1 quantum microsatellite (23 kg payload) launched to LEO paper
2021-01 Integrated 4,600 km space-ground network (Micius + Beijing–Shanghai fibre trunk) paper
2020-12 Jiuzhang Gaussian-boson-sampling: quantum computational advantage with 76 detected photons paper
2020-06 Entanglement-based QKD between Micius and two ground stations 1,120 km apart, no trusted relay paper
2017-08 Satellite-to-ground decoy-state QKD via Micius (Xinglong link) paper
2017-08 Ground-to-satellite quantum teleportation via Micius paper
2017-06 Satellite-based entanglement distribution over 1,200 km (Micius) paper
2016-08 Launch of Micius (QUESS) — first dedicated quantum-science satellite press

People

Jian-Wei Pan — Director / Principal Investigator (since 2001) ↗
Chao-Yang Lu — Professor — photonic quantum computing (Jiuzhang lead) (since 2011) ↗
Qiang Zhang — Professor — fibre QKD, twin-field QKD, Beijing–Shanghai trunk (since 2010) ↗
Juan Yin — Professor — satellite QKD, Micius optical-payload PI (since 2003) ↗
Sheng-Kai Liao — Professor — satellite payload engineering (Micius, Jinan-1) (since 2010) ↗
Ji-Gang Ren — Professor — satellite tracking and pointing (since 2008) ↗
Cheng-Zhi Peng — Professor — co-PI on Micius programme (since 2008) ↗
Yu-Ao Chen — Professor — cold-atom quantum memories and quantum simulation (since 2008) ↗
Feihu Xu — Professor — measurement-device-independent QKD, photonic networks (since 2018) ↗
Xiao-Hui Bao — Professor — quantum-memory-based repeaters (since 2012) ↗

Funding

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Strategic Priority Research Program "Quantum Science Experiments on Space Scale" — Funded Micius (QUESS) and the satellite programme
National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) — Long-running programme grants to Pan and group members
Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) National Key R&D Program — Quantum-communication and quantum-computing key projects
Hefei National Laboratory — Host laboratory; major direct funding stream since 2017 designation
Anhui Initiative in Quantum Information Technologies — Provincial co-funding

References

[@liu-prl-2023] Twin-field QKD over 1,002 km field fibre (paper)
[@liao-nature-549] Satellite-to-ground decoy-state QKD via Micius (paper)
[@yin-nature-2020] Entanglement-based QKD between Micius and 1,120 km-separated ground stations (paper)
[@li-nature-2025-jinan] Jinan-1 microsatellite, Beijing–Stellenbosch 12,900 km QKD (paper)
[@yin-science-2017] Satellite-based entanglement distribution over 1,200 km (paper)
Ren et al. Nature 549, 70 (2017) — ground-to-satellite quantum teleportation (paper)
Zhong et al. Science 370, 1460 (2020) — Jiuzhang Gaussian boson sampling, 76 photons (paper)
Chen et al. Nature 589, 214 (2021) — integrated 4,600 km space-ground QKD network (paper)