CAREER: Quantum Optics in Nanoscale Devices Approaching the Quantum Limit

技术总结这一职业奖项支持有关纳米级凝聚态设备中的新量子现象及其在量子信息中的应用的理论研究和教育。当它们的尺寸接近原子极限时，纳米尺度的设备有时可以被视为简单的宏观量子对象，如自旋和谐振子。这样的量子物体可以用量子光学来研究，量子光学是一种成熟的工具，已经在研究原子系统方面取得了成功。通过将量子光学技术与凝聚态物理的微观概念相结合，将在两个主要主题中建立一个研究纳米器件相干、耗散和集体行为的理论框架。首先，将在纳米机械谐振器中研究连续变量量子信息处理，这种谐振器具有微小的机械振动，可以携带量子信息。将探索纳米机械谐振器和固态电子电路之间的耦合，以研究基态冷却、纠缠和贝尔不等测试，以及连续变量量子协议，其中机械模式是一种优秀的量子存储元件。其次，研究超导量子仿真器与超导谐振器耦合的非线性效应，其中超导量子仿真器由超导量子比特组成，用于模拟量子多体哈密顿量。我们将在这个非线性系统中研究量子相变的性质，并将开发一个数值程序包。在这两个主题中，都将研究对纳米器件特别重要的问题，包括电路的适当设计和低频波动的影响。该项目的研究连接了量子光学、凝聚态物理和量子信息领域。纳米器件中的量子效应可以被用来研究量子力学中的基本问题，凝聚态物理中的新问题，以及新一代固态量子器件的发展。特别是，该项目寻求使用纳米级设备作为信息载体的现实量子计算架构。这一职业奖项授予加州大学默塞德分校，这是一所新成立的研究型大学，旨在服务于圣华金河谷的教育需求。它是加州大学唯一一所被指定为拉美裔服务机构的校园。该项目的教育活动将为代表不足的群体的学生提供培训，包括少数民族学生和女性学生，以鼓励和帮助他们从事物理学事业。将组织一系列活动，包括女性物理学家网络小组，周六在默塞德县当地博物馆为高中生举办的系列讲座，以及使用同行教学技术开发本科生研究项目和课程。非技术总结这个职业奖项支持关于纳米(十亿分之一米)尺寸的小型固态设备中新颖量子力学效应的理论研究和教育。在这个尺度上，材料、原子和器件之间的区别变得模糊。许多这样的设备可以成为量子计算机的构建块，量子计算机是一种利用量子力学现象进行计算的设备，如果成功地大规模构建，在某些算法方面将比目前可用的任何经典计算机快得多。作为以量子力学方式存储信息的潜在元件，这些器件可以深刻地影响信息技术和国家安全。这项研究是凝聚态物理、量子光学和量子信息科学之间的桥梁。它聚焦于两个主要主题。一个是探索微型纳米尺寸的机械谐振器作为量子信息的载体。这种谐振器中的机械振动可以与固态电子电路相连，以存储和处理信息。沿着这条线的一个重点领域是研究通过提取系统中的热噪声来产生冷却？谐振器的。另一个主题是研究超导量子电路中的现象，超导量子电路携带电流而不耗散。这些效应可以引入对凝聚态物理来说是新的现象。纳米器件中的量子效应不仅可以用来研究引力波的探测和量子与经典世界之间的边界等基本物理问题，还可以帮助开发基于量子力学效应的新一代固态器件，用于计量和信息应用。这一职业奖项授予加州大学默塞德分校，这是一所新成立的研究型大学，旨在服务于圣华金河谷的教育需求。它是加州大学唯一一所被指定为拉美裔服务机构的校园。该项目的教育活动将为在科学和工程学科中代表性通常较低的群体的学生提供培训和学习机会，包括少数民族学生和女性学生，以鼓励和帮助他们从事物理学事业。将组织一系列活动，包括女性物理学家网络小组，周六在默塞德县当地博物馆为高中生举办的系列讲座，以及利用同行教学技术开发本科生研究项目和课程。

TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis CAREER award supports theoretical research and education on novel quantum phenomena in nanoscale condensed matter devices and their applications in quantum information. As their dimensions approach the atomic limit, nanoscale devices can sometimes be treated as simple macroscopic quantum objects, such as spins and harmonic oscillators. Such quantum objects can be studied by quantum optics, which is a well-developed tool that has achieved success in studying atomic systems. A theoretical framework to study coherent, dissipative, and collective behavior of nanoscale devices will be developed in two main topics by combining techniques of quantum optics with microscopic concepts of condensed matter physics. First, continuous variable quantum information processing will be studied in nanomechanical resonators which feature tiny mechanical vibrations that can carry quantum information. The coupling between nanomechanical resonators and solid-state electronic circuits will be explored to study ground state cooling, entanglement and Bell-inequality tests, and continuous variable quantum protocols, where the mechanical mode serves as an excellent quantum storage element. Second, nonlinear effects of superconducting quantum emulators coupling to a superconducting resonator will be studied, where the emulators are made of superconducting qubits to simulate quantum many-body Hamiltonians. The nature of the quantum phase transition will be studied in this nonlinear system, and a numerical package will be developed. In both topics, questions that are of particular importance for nanoscale devices will be studied, including the proper design of circuits and the effects of low-frequency fluctuations.The research in this project connects the fields of quantum optics, condensed matter physics, and quantum information. The quantum effects in nanoscale devices can be explored to study fundamental issues in quantum mechanics, novel problems in condensed matter physics, and the development of a new generation of solid-state quantum devices. In particular, this project seeks realistic quantum computing architectures using the nanoscale devices as information carriers. This CAREER award is made to the University of California (UC), Merced, which is a newly started research university established to serve the educational needs in the San Joaquin Valley. It is the only UC campus that is designated as a Hispanic serving institution. The educational activities in this project will provide training for students from underrepresented groups, including minority and women students, to encourage and help them to pursue careers in physics. A pipeline of activities will be organized, including women physicist networking group, Saturday lecture series for high school students at a local museum in Merced County, and development of undergraduate research projects and courses using the Peer Instruction Technique.NONTECHNICAL SUMMARYThis CAREER award supports theoretical research and education on novel quantum mechanical effects in small solid-state devices on the nanometer (one billionth of a meter) size regime. On this scale the distinction between materials, atoms, and devices becomes blurred. Many such devices can be the building blocks of a quantum computer, which is a device for computation that makes use of quantum mechanical phenomena, and if successfully built on a large scale, will be much faster than any currently available classical computer for some algorithms. As the potential elements for storing information quantum mechanically, these devices can profoundly influence the information technology and national security. The research bridges the disciplines of condensed matter physics, quantum optics, and quantum information science. It focuses on two main topics. One is to explore tiny nanometer-sized mechanical resonators as carriers of quantum information. The mechanical vibrations in such resonators can be connected with solid-state electronic circuits to store and manipulate information. One focus area along this line is to study the approaches that can bring the tiny mechanical vibrations into the quantum regime by extracting the thermal noise in the system to generate ?cooling? of the resonators. The other topic is to study phenomena in superconducting quantum circuits, which carry electrical current without dissipation. These effects can introduce phenomena that are new to condensed matter physics. The quantum effects in nanoscale devices can be explored not only to study fundamental physics issues, such as the detection of gravitational waves and the boundary between the quantum and the classical worlds, but it can also help in developing a new generation of solid-state devices that are based on quantum mechanical effects for metrology and information applications. This CAREER award is made to the University of California (UC), Merced, which is a newly started research university established to serve the educational needs in the San Joaquin Valley. It is the only UC campus that is designated as a Hispanic serving institution. The educational activities in this project will provide training and learning opportunities for students from groups typically underrepresented in science and engineering disciplines, including minority and women students, to encourage and help them to pursue careers in physics. A pipeline of activities will be organized, including women physicist networking group, Saturday lecture series for high school students at a local museum in Merced County, and development of undergraduate research projects and courses using the Peer Instruction Technique.