find below a selection of relevant projects I worked on
GEOQKD
Feasibility and high-level design study
Simbol-X
PhD research
European Commission
External advisor
Simbol-X
For my PhD research (Paris 7, UTwente) I worked at the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA) in Saclay, France, in the Service d’Astrophysique. My work consisted of the development and construction of an all-in-one 64 pixel X-ray camera (Caliste) for the Simbol-X space mission, using pixilated Cd(Zn)Te semiconductor material. I performed various types of experimental work, such as X-ray spectroscopy, accurate leakage current measurements and electronics characterization. In parallel, I also constructed a complete detector simulation tool using GEANT4 and Matlab which allowed me to compare experimental and simulated results and gave me a tool to predict and improve performance.
Although it reached the second round of ESA’s Cosmic Vision, Simbol-X was not selected for an actual flight mission. Nevertheless, the research on the detectors continued and a sophisticated version, CALISTE-SO (Caliste for Solar Orbiter) is now flying on ESA’s Solar Orbiter as part of the STIX instrument for Solar Flares measurements.
Picture credits: L. Godart and O. Limousin of CEA.
GEOQKD
I worked as a Systems Architect at TNO on the GEOQKD project, a feasibility and high-level design study for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) from a geostationary satellite. QKD is a very secure way to distribute symmetric encryption keys to end-users. When properly implemented it is even safe against quantum attacks from the most powerful future quantum computers.
Distribution of the keys from a geostationary satellite is challenging seen the large distance from Earth (~36000km above the equator), but has many advantages: large coverage, continuous link time (cloud coverage limited), less complex tracking, and very well suited for untrusted node operation. Here, the latter means that no additional security measures are needed for the space segment as no key material will be stored onboard. This can be achieved by using entangled photons from a source inside the satellite in combination with a special type of QKD protocol. More information can be found here.
Picture source: ESA.
External Advisor to the European Commission
I currently work as an external and independent advisor to the European Commission on the topic of quantum communication, quantum key distribution and space optical instrumentation, via RHEA Group.
