Bell Labs’ Michael Eggleston on Nokia’s research into topological quantum computing Bell Labs is known for developing radio astronomy technology, transistors and lasers – now owned by Nokia, its research is focusing on quantum computing For over a hundred years, the industrial research and development company Bell Labs has enjoyed a prestigious history. It developed solar cells, the Unix operating system and many other technologies that are now found in homes, offices and laboratories. In 2016, Nokia acquired the telecommunications company Alcatel-Lucent, which owned Bell Labs, and the historic organization now acts as the research branch of Nokia. Its primary focus is on developing emerging technologies, defined as those at least five years away from commercialization, and providing technical advice to Nokia. Conversely, Nokia identifies challenges affecting business users, which determines the direction of research at Bell Labs. Right now, one of the major projects at Bell Labs is its research into quantum computing, of ever more practical importance to businesses as we edge closer to ‘Q-Day’. Using the properties of subatomic particles, quantum computers are able to process vast amounts of information in a short space of time. It is expected that quantum computers will be capable of solving problems that would take conventional ‘classical’ supercomputers many years to complete, if at all. “My team is split into two main areas,” says Michael Eggleston, research group leader at Bell Labs and a PhD physicist specializing in semiconductor physics and quantum mechanics. Eggleston’s specialist focus is on optoelectronic devices – electronic devices that can control, generate or detect light – and it’s here that Bell Labs is aiming to carve a space for itself in quantum research. “One is on computation, looking at new ways of computing, as computing is just a fundamental requirement for any sort of communication. Communication