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16 March 2026

QuantumPUF project funded under the EIC Pathfinder programme

QuantumPUF project funded under the EIC Pathfinder programme

The project QuantumPUF- Portable Readout Quantum Physical Unclonable Functions using Luminescent Materials for Authentication has been selected for funding under the EIC Pathfinder programme of the European Innovation Council, part of Horizon Europe, the European Union’s framework programme for research and innovation.

At the University of Aveiro, the project involves a research team led by Rute Ferreira (CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials and the Department of Physics of the University of Aveiro). The team also includes Linashe Fu, Carlos Brites, and Luís Carlos(CICECO and the Department of Physics), as well as Vítor Sencadas (CICECO and the Department of Materials and Ceramic Engineering – DEMaC) and Paula Quinteiro (CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies and the Department of Environment and Planning).

The University of Aveiro team is part of the international QuantumPUF consortium, coordinated by the Instituto de Telecomunicações, with Paulo André as project coordinator. In addition to these institutions, the consortium also includes Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Germany), with the team coordinated by Nicola Pinna, the University of Vigo (Spain), coordinated by Davide Rusca, Research and Innovation Services doo za usluge (Croatia), coordinated by Gabrijela Radi?, the company Advayatec (Portugal), with Pedro Vilarinho leading the team, and the University of Geneva (Switzerland), where the team is coordinated by Nicolas Brunner.

The QuantumPUF project aims to develop Quantum Physical Unclonable Functions (Quantum PUFs) based on luminescent materials, exploiting their unique quantum properties to create new solutions for highly secure authentication with portable readout. These technologies have potential applications in areas such as anti-counterfeiting, secure device identification, and the protection of high-value products.

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