Enabling Quantum Leap: Q-AMASE-i: MonArk Quantum Foundry: Rapidly Incubating Translational Advances in QISE with a 2D-Quantum Materials Pipeline (2D-QMaP)

摘要：本项目建立由蒙大拿州立大学和阿肯色大学共同运营的MonArk量子铸造厂，以加速开发用于量子传感、通信和计算的层状二维（2D）材料和器件。数量数以千计的二维材料为下一代量子信息科学技术提供了一个广阔的潜在系统库。这些材料的探索为美国量子产业的发展提供了重要的机会，但巨大的参数空间带来了几个巨大的挑战，减缓了科学发现的步伐，并将发现转化为量子技术。MonArk量子铸造厂通过(1)开发材料合成和制造工具，以快速组装由二维材料制成的原型量子器件；(2)将这些工具与下一代量子相关表征仪器无缝集成；(3)使这一新开发的基础设施对学术、政府和工业研究团体开放。(4)提供开源启发的基础设施，以加速美国各地量子研究人员和教育工作者之间的样本、思想、技术知识和教学资源的交换。除了影响更广泛的社区外，MonArk量子铸造厂还加速了蒙大拿州立大学和阿肯色大学团队的合作研究重点，以利用二维量子材料来产生和操纵光的量子态，创新新的量子比特架构，并探索二维量子磁现象。工业伙伴关系以及理论和实验研究之间的密切协同作用在铸造活动的各个层面上得到了深入的整合。劳动力发展、研究生和本科课程发展以及招聘活动的重点是在美国中心地区创造一支多元化的、具有量子素养的劳动力队伍。技术摘要：本项目建立一个量子材料铸造厂，解决二维（2D）量子材料和器件研究领域的关键转化科学挑战。两个“二维量子材料管道”将在蒙大拿州立大学和阿肯色大学的铸造厂开发和托管，将最繁琐和耗时的二维量子研究过程的机器人自动化与与工业伙伴密切合作开发的尖端量子表征仪器相结合，以实现最有效的量子研究。二维量子材料管道利用技术创新，使研究人员能够从新的二维系统的概念快速发展到需要测试和表征的量子设备，加速了该领域转化科学的各个方面。通过合作和开源资源，研究人员可以获得2D量子材料管道的能力以及获得的技术知识和科学发现，这些资源扩大了美国铸造活动和基础设施的范围。铸造厂的内部研究活动融合了实验和理论专业知识，大数据和机器学习的新概念以及行业指导。二维量子材料管道能够探索新的量子系统和现象，如二维量子磁性和铁电性，以及单光子发射器，纠缠光子对源和新型量子比特等量子技术的发展。教育和推广活动包括网站、网络研讨会、短期课程、公共活动、面向初中/高中/本科生/研究生的现场实验室培训，以及面向行业技术工人的持续专业发展。铸造厂通过综合研究和学习培养了一支具有量子素养的员工队伍，并通过将早期职业教师提升到领导职位来建立量子科学的领导力，其影响将持续数十年。该项目由凝聚态物理项目、材料研究部和促进竞争研究的既定计划（EPSCoR）共同资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-technical Abstract:This project establishes the MonArk Quantum Foundry that is jointly operated by Montana State University and the University of Arkansas to accelerate the development of layered two-dimensional (2D) materials and devices for applications in quantum sensing, communication, and computing. Numbering in the thousands, 2D materials offer an expansive library of potential systems for next-generation quantum information science technologies. The exploration of these materials presents significant opportunities to grow the quantum industry in the US, but the vast parameter space presents several formidable challenges that slow the pace of scientific discovery and translating discoveries into quantum technologies. The MonArk Quantum Foundry directly addresses these challenges by (1) the development of materials synthesis and fabrication tools tailored to rapidly assemble prototype quantum devices made from two-dimensional materials, (2) the seamless integration of these tools with next-generation quantum-relevant characterization instrumentation, (3) making this newly developed infrastructure openly accessible to academic, government, and industrial research groups, and (4) providing open-source inspired infrastructure to accelerate the exchange of samples, ideas, technical knowledge, and pedagogical resources to quantum researchers and educators across the US. In addition to impacting the broader community, the MonArk Quantum Foundry accelerates collaborative research priorities of teams from Montana State University and the University of Arkansas to leverage two-dimensional quantum materials for generating and manipulating quantum states of light, innovating new qubit architectures, and exploring quantum magnetic phenomena in two-dimensions. Industrial partnerships and close synergy between theoretical and experimental research are deeply integrated at all levels of Foundry activities. The workforce development, graduate and undergraduate curriculum development, and recruiting activities focus on creating a diverse, quantum-literate workforce in the heartland of the US.Technical Abstract:This project establishes a quantum materials foundry that tackles critical translational scientific challenges in the research area of two-dimensional (2D) quantum materials and devices. Two “2D Quantum Materials Pipelines” will be developed and hosted at the Foundry sites at Montana State University and the University Arkansas that integrate robotic automation of the most cumbersome and time-consuming processes of 2D quantum research with cutting-edge quantum characterization instrumentation developed in close collaboration with industrial partners for maximally effective quantum research. The 2D Quantum Materials Pipelines leverage technological innovations to enable researchers to rapidly progress from the conception of a new 2D system to a quantum device to be tested and characterized, accelerating all aspects of translational science in this field. The capabilities of the 2D Quantum Materials Pipelines as well as the acquired technical knowledge and scientific discoveries are made available to researchers through collaborations and open-source resources that expand the reach of the Foundry activities and infrastructure across the US. The in-house research activities of the Foundry converge experimental and theoretical expertise, new concepts from big data and machine learning, and industrial guidance. The 2D Quantum Materials Pipelines enable exploration of novel quantum systems and phenomena such as 2D quantum magnetism and ferroelectricity and development of quantum technologies such as single-photon emitters, entangled photon-pair sources, and novel qubits. Education and outreach activities include websites, webinars, short courses, public engagements, in-person laboratory training for middle/high school/undergraduate/graduate students, and continued professional development for technical workers from industry. The Foundry develops a quantum-literate workforce by integrated research and learning and builds leadership in the quantum sciences by advancing early-career faculty into leadership positions, the impact of which will endure for decades.This project is jointly funded by Condensed Matter Physics Program, Division of Materials Research, and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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.