Chiral Quantum Networks

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This research program brings together scientists and engineers to work with atomic spins and acoustic waves in materials that are important for quantum information processing technologies. By understanding how topology can be engineered and used in physical systems, this project will directly address a grand challenge in applied physics and engineering, namely: how to control the flow of quantum information in a system. The objective of this research is to predict, realize, and optimize chiral and helical routing of quantum excitations on a chip. The resulting ability to control the transport of phonons (quantum mechanical excitations of vibrational modes in solids) in a nonreciprocal manner, and the ability to control the propagation-direction-dependent interaction between phonons and embedded qubits (quantum mechanical spins), will aid in the development of quantum networks for quantum communications systems and quantum computing. This project will also promote the education and training of a new generation of scientists and engineers who will develop quantum electronics and phononics technology for future applications. This research is focused on observing chiral and topologically nontrivial propagation of acoustic waves in magnetic, time-domain modulated, spin-coupled, and nonlinear media. This project will clarify theoretically and experimentally the effects of disorder, dissipation, and nonlinearity on the properties of chiral and topological electromagnetic and mechanical excitations. Research on coupling the spin of a defect in a solid-state system to 0D, 1D and 2D acoustic waves will advance the understanding of how an emitter can interact with its environment. In particular, it will demonstrate chiral emission of phonons by ground state spins, and this will explore a variety of mechanical resonator and waveguide geometries in which to realize strong spin-phonon interactions. The longer-term vision is to understand how concepts of phononic chiral networks can help develop new regimes for quantum control and sensing with coupled emitters. The engineering expertise developed throughout this program will be instrumental in developing compact, low-loss, ultra-low power, nonreciprocal amplifiers, converters and filters in the quantum regime. By bringing together scientists from different fields, e.g., photonics, optomechanics, and diamond, this team will meet the fundamental challenge of demonstrating novel wave propagation phenomena by using a hybrid approach. This project features an extensive effort on education, training, and broadening participation, in order to strengthen the workforce that can develop quantum technologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.