ITR/SY: Foundations of Solid-State Quantum Information Processing

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EIA-0121568Kwait, Paul GUniversity of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignITR/SY: Foundations of Solid-State Quantum Information Processing Quantum Information Processing (QIP) lies at the forefront of revolutionary computing research, promising radically new powers to computation and communication, e.g., unconditionally secure quantum cryptography and quantum logic for greatly enhanced speed on certain computational problems. This project addresses the critical question of how to achieve a physical system capable of meeting the two most challenging requirements for building a quantum computer -- scalability, the fabrication and coupling of a large number of quantum bits ("qubits"), and quantum coherence, the control of noise and external coupling effects so that the exquisitely fragile quantum mechanical circuits will not be perturbed by unwanted influences. An interdisciplinary research team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is exploring a wide range of solid state systems based on the manipulation and measurement of magnetic moments to perform quantum logic operations. By studying the full range, from single spins to small clusters of spins (in quantum dots), to large current loops in superconductors, they are attempting to assess the relative merit of different techniques, and determine the physical size limits for magnetic systems acting as qubits. The ultimate goal is the physical realization of a small system for performing quantum logic operations. A key component is the integration of research and education via a highly interactive program involving undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral investigators. This project is providing a crucial role for an explosive new field such as QIP, by providing general awareness of the issues involved and by training a pool of experienced researchers.