Collaborative Research: Topological States and Quantum Information in Semiconductors and Cold Atom Superfluids

这个计划是为了理论研究和教育一个革命性的最新想法的量子计算，被称为拓扑量子计算(TQC)。TQC已被证明不存在其他更传统的量子计算方法所面临的许多严重问题。虽然这在数学上已经被证明是一个原则性的观点，但在自然界中还没有找到合适的平台来支持全面质量控制，而这个程序解决了这个问题。在没有合适的天然平台的情况下，PI将设计出实用的方法来人为地诱导冷原子系统和半导体上的TQC所需的性质。他们还将在所考虑的物理系统上开发适当的TQC体系结构，并研究由于各种TQC平台中的热效应和无序效应对量子相干性的基本限制。与其他更传统的量子计算方法不同，TQC具有固有的容错性和可伸缩性。在这个项目中进行的研究，包括TQC平台，对量子相干性的限制，以及合适的计算架构，将使TQC离实验实现更近一步。该计划将寻求实现合成的TQC平台，并设计适当的TQC架构。对这些系统中量子保护的基本极限进行深入的理论理解，不仅将开创量子信息相干控制的先河，而且还将影响课堂上基本的强关联原子和电子物理。后者的影响超出了量子计算领域。这项研究将促进华盛顿州立大学和克莱姆森大学在量子信息科学、原子物理、凝聚态物理和数值方法方面的研究生培训。这种培训的多样性将使学生在一个多学科的就业市场中做好准备。这项研究还将帮助两所大学更新物理课程，以反映现代科学技术的趋势。根据NSF促进科学和工程教育的使命，这些综合研究和教育活动将促进华盛顿州和南卡罗来纳州EPSCoR州的本科生和研究生参与科学技术，并将改善这两个州的长期基础设施。

This program is for theoretical research and education for a revolutionary recent idea for quantum computation, known as topological quantum computation (TQC). TQC has been shown to be free of many of the serious problems facing other more conventional means of quantum computation. Although this has been proved as a point of principle in mathematics, suitable platforms to support TQC are yet to be found in nature and this program addresses this issue. In the absence of suitable natural platforms, the PIs will devise practical methods to artificially induce the desired properties for TQC on cold atom systems and semiconductors. They will also develop the appropriate TQC architectures on the considered physical systems and study the fundamental limits on quantum coherence due to thermal and disorder effects in the various TQC platforms. In contrast to other, more "conventional" means of quantum computation, TQC is inherently fault-tolerant and scalable. The studies performed in this program, consisting of TQC platforms, limits on quantum coherence, and suitable computation architectures, will result in TQC being one step closer to experimental realization. The program will seek to realize synthetic TQC platforms and to design appropriate TQC architectures. A deep theoretical understanding of the fundamental limits of quantum protection in these systems would not only pioneer coherent control of quantum information, but would also influence the basic strongly-correlated atomic and electronic physics in the classroom. The latter has broader impact beyond the field of quantum computation. This research will foster training of graduate students at both Washington State University and Clemson University at the interface of quantum information science, atomic physics, condensed matter physics, and numerical methods. The diverse nature of this training will prepare the students in a multidisciplinary employment market. This research will also help both universities update the physics curriculum to reflect the modern trends in science and technology. Per NSF mission of promoting science and engineering education, these integrated research and education activities will promote the participation of undergraduate and graduate students from the state of Washington and the EPSCoR state of South Carolina in science and technology, and will improve the two states' long-term infrastructure.