Publication of Professor Pascale Senellart-Mardon’s opening lecture

Pascale Senellart-Mardon

Artificial atoms and photons at the heart of a second quantum revolution

On the cusp of a second quantum revolution, it is now possible to harness the concepts of quantum superposition and entanglement in new applications, notably by manipulating artificial atoms and photons.

Research in quantum physics over the last few decades has enabled us to identify, and subsequently master, quantum superposition and entanglement. It is now possible to manipulate and entangle photons, atoms and even so-called ‘artificial’ atoms, crafted using the tools of microelectronics. This unprecedented mastery paves the way for a wide range of applications, including quantum computing. This book describes the early stages of this adventure, in which fundamental research and technological innovation are advancing hand in hand. It is a rapidly expanding field, where technology and aesthetics intertwine with extreme scientific ambitions and intense competition.

Senellart-Mardon P., Artificial Atoms and Photons at the Heart of a Second Quantum Revolution , Paris, Collège de France, ‘Opening Lectures ’ series, n^o. 340, 2026, 72 pp.

ISBN: 978-2-7226-0884-9
Price: €12
Publication date: 16 April 2026

Pascale Senellart-Mardon is a CNRS research director at the Centre for Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies at Paris-Saclay University and co-founder of the start-up Quandela. A recipient of the CNRS Silver Medal and Innovation Medal in 2014 and 2025, she has been a member of the Academy of Sciences since 2022 and of the Academy of Technologies since 2024. She is a visiting professor holding the Technological Innovation Liliane Bettencourt Annual Chair (2025–2026), established with the support of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation.