Excellence in Research - Collaborative Proposal: Investigation of Quantum Effects and Nanostructures Through Research & Educational Partnership Between NCCU & Howard University

量子信息科学有望彻底改变计算和通信。量子比特是量子计算的基本单位，必须保留足够长的信息才能有用。研究人员建议通过利用压电效应来显着增加量子比特的寿命。在某些材料中，这些电荷与机械应力耦合。该项目将通过霍华德大学和北卡罗来纳州中央大学这两所领先的HBCU的研究人员之间的合作，加强纳米科学的前沿研究。理论和建模与先进的实验技术相结合，将为学生提供量子计算和纳米科学技术的关键前沿领域的强有力的培训。该项目将促进和激励少数民族和代表性不足的本科生和研究生的教育和培训。它还将促进年轻教员的专业发展。这种合作也将有助于在两个机构的STEM学生的招聘，招生和保留。从本科生到博士生的研究人员的参与将在量子计算和纳米科学的关键前沿领域培养新一代的少数民族科学家，这将影响他们的日常生活。技术概述两所机构的研究人员所追求的共同协同主题将集中在：（1）二元量子纳米结构中的电子隧穿和激子动力学现象，（2）用于量子比特的压电量子点分子，（3）纳米线和纳米带的电荷动力学和光学光谱，以及（4）石墨纳米材料和压电量子点的光学和拉曼光谱。PI将开发一种新的方法，用于基于压电量子点中的激子设计量子计算机的量子位，预计这些量子点将具有比现有量子位更长的纠缠时间和更高的工作温度。增加与纠缠相关的纳米结构之间的隧穿对于量子计算机和PI提出的新型量子探测器至关重要，这是基于通过改变它们的状态密度之间的重叠和它们之间的对称性的变化来控制分析物和探测器的纳米结构之间的隧穿。为了实现上述目标，研究人员将开发新的理论和建模方法来计算和模拟各种纳米结构的特性（例如，量子点、纳米线、纳米带、碳纳米管和功能化石墨烯），并采用最先进的新颖表征技术，包括拉曼光谱、光致发光、快飞秒光谱，和GHz到THz范围内的非接触式电荷动力学光谱。拟议的研究伙伴关系将汇集以下利基领域的主题专家：与纳米结构相关的电荷隧穿;用于新型量子比特和量子计算的量子点分子;超材料和等离子体物理学;石墨纳米材料和压电量子点的拉曼和激光光谱学。从本科生到博士生的研究人员的参与将在量子计算和纳米科学的关键前沿领域培养新一代的少数民族科学家，这将影响他们的日常生活。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NONTECHNICAL SUMMARYQuantum-information science promises to revolutionize computation and communication. Qubits, the fundamental units of quantum computation, must retain information long enough to be useful. The investigators propose to dramatically increase qubit lifetimes by taking advantage of piezoelectric effects. These couple electrical charge with mechanical stress in certain materials. The project will enhance cutting-edge research in nanoscience through a collaboration between researchers in Howard University and North Carolina Central University, two leading HBCUs. A combination of theory and modeling with advanced experimental techniques will provide students with strong training in key frontier areas of quantum computing and nanoscience and technology. The project will promote and inspire the education and training of minority and underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students. It will also enhance the professional development of young faculty members. This collaboration will also help the recruitment, enrollment, and retention of STEM students at both institutions. The involvement of researchers ranging from undergraduates to doctoral students will train a new generation of minority scientists in key frontier areas of quantum computing and nanoscience that will impact their everyday lives.TECHNICAL SUMMARYThe common synergistic themes pursued by researchers at both institutions will focus on: (1) electron tunneling and exciton dynamics phenomena in binary quantum nanostructures, (2) piezoelectric quantum dot molecules for qubits, (3) charge dynamics and optical spectroscopy of nanowires and nanoribbons, and (4) the optical and Raman spectroscopy of graphitic nanomaterials and piezoelectric quantum dots. The PIs will develop a novel approach for designing qubits for quantum computers based on excitons in piezoelectric quantum dots that are expected to have longer entanglement times and higher operating temperatures than present qubits. Increasing tunneling between nanostructures that is correlated with entanglement is crucial for quantum computers and for the novel kind of quantum detectors that the PIs are proposing, which are based on controlling the tunneling between an analyte and the detector’s nanostructures by the changes in the overlap between their densities of states and the change in the symmetry between them. In order to achieve the proposed objectives, the PIs will develop new theoretical and modeling approaches to calculate and simulate the properties of a variety of nanostructures (e.g. quantum dots, nanowires, nanoribbons, carbon nanotubes, and functionalized graphene) and employ state-of-the-art novel characterization techniques that include combinations of Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, fast femtosecond spectroscopy, and contactless charge dynamics spectroscopy in the GHz to THz range. The proposed research partnership will bring together subject matter experts in the following niche areas: charge tunneling associated with nanostructures; quantum dot molecules for novel qubits and quantum computing; metamaterials and plasmonic physics; and the Raman and laser spectroscopy of graphitic nanomaterials and piezoelectric quantum dots. The involvement of researchers ranging from undergraduates to doctoral students will train a new generation of minority scientists in key frontier areas of quantum computing and nanoscience that will impact their everyday lives.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.