16:30 – 16:40 hrs
Welcome and Opening Remarks

Anna Mignani Istituto di Fisica Applicata "Nello Carrara" (Italy) 2026 Symposium Chair

Presentation of the SPIE Directors' Award
for exceptional leadership in founding the high-impact journal Advanced Photonics as co-editor-in-chiefs
to:

Anatoly Zayats King’s College London (United Kingdom)

and

Xiao-Cong Yuan Shenzhen Univ, and the Zhejiang Lab (China)

Introduction of Plenary Speakers
Anna Mignani
Istituto di Fisica Applicata "Nello Carrara" (Italy)
2026 Symposium Chair


16:40 - 17:20 hrs
Time-of-flight imaging using quantum technologies

Gerald S. Buller Heriot-Watt Univ, Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences (United Kingdom) EPSRC Quantum Technology Hub (United Kingdom)

Quantum-enhanced imaging is an emerging area of research with relevance to a wide variety of application areas, including transport, gaming, environmental research, and security and defence. This subject encompasses a range of techniques and utilizes a number of developing quantum technologies. Time-resolved single-photon imaging approaches have been used to reconstruct high-resolution three-dimensional images, including challenging scenarios such as imaging through atmospheric obscurants and clutter. Critically, this approach has been extended to imaging in turbid underwater conditions. In the past, image reconstruction often proved to be time-consuming due to the inherent computational complexity, however advances in algorithms and hardware have allowed examples of “real-time” reconstruction of moving targets. Single-photon imaging has been used in demonstrations of moving target identification and human activity recognition with the aid of artificial intelligence approaches. Alternative single-photon imaging approaches, such as ghost imaging, will also be discussed.

Gerald S. Buller is a Professor of Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. He is currently the Director of the UK’s Integrated Quantum Networks Hub. He was formerly an EPSRC Established Career Fellow, examining the technology and science of quantum-enhanced imaging and its applications. His interests have mainly been in quantum photonics technology, including quantum communications and networks, quantum-enhanced imaging and single-photon detectors. He was co-founder of Helia Photonics Ltd., Livingston, UK, where he continues as company director.


17:25 - 18:10 hrs
Photonic integrated circuits in PIXEurope Pilot Line and quantum technologies

Valerio Pruneri Institute of Photonic Sciences, ICFO (Spain)

I will present the PIXEurope Pilot Line, a recently started 400MEuro initiative under the Chips JU, that aims at developing and transferring advanced photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technologies and processes. Through Open Access, PIXEurope will support end-users in increasing the readiness level of their products. I will also present some technologies, leveraging PICs, that were developed at ICFO and transferred to spin-offs, now commercializing quantum random number generators, cryptography systems and phase imagers.

Valerio Pruneri is an ICREA Professor and Corning Inc. chair, leading the Optoelectronics group at ICFO. He is also the Director of PIXEurope Pilot Line. Previously he worked for Avanex, Corning, Pirelli, and the University of Southampton. With his groups in academia and industry, he has developed technologies for the photonic, photonic integration, and quantum. He is inventor in more than 70 granted or pending patent families, leading to numerous industrial collaborations and the creation of four spin offs, Quside, Sixsenso, Luxquanta and Shinephi.