ExpandQISE: Track 2: Neutral Atom Based Quantum Information Processing

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Non-Technical description:Information technology is a major driving force of modern science and technology, having advanced human civilization throughout the past century. Quantum information technology, built upon fundamental quantum mechanics principles such as superposition and entanglement, can solve important problems that are intractable with current classical information technology. This center research is anticipated to revolutionize computing and communication technology with far-reaching societal impacts. The success of quantum information technology development in the US demands the establishment of a productive and sustained quantum information science and engineering (QISE) community that involves many US institutes for research, education, and workforce development. This project expands the current small-scale quantum research efforts at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT-Dallas) to establish a robust QISE community to serve Texas and the US. Key research and education components of the project include: i) Quantum network, sensing, and simulation research based on controlling cold atoms; ii) Multiple faculty hires and long-term institutional support; iii) Establishment of QISE undergraduate minor and graduate Master programs; and iv) Quantum workforce development and outreach activities through collaborations with industrial partners and established nationwide quantum information centers. These activities enable the development of cutting-edge quantum technology while providing education and training for students, from K-12 to graduate school, to become the quantum scientists and engineers needed to develop a sustainable quantum information technology future of the US.Technical description:Cold neutral atoms have emerged as a prime contender for various quantum information processing tasks due to exquisite control and reproducibility, but still face many challenges, such as combining multiple setups to build improved quantum sensor networks and realizing analog atomic quantum information processing. The goal of this project is to build a QISE research and education hub at UT-Dallas based on neutral atom quantum platforms. The project includes three research thrusts: i) Quantum networks of sensors with neutral atoms in optical tweezer arrays; ii) Analog quantum signal processing and sensing using an atomtronics approach with ultracold atomic physics; iii) Quantum simulation and computation with intermediate scale neutral atom quantum computers. These research projects can significantly advance the field of QISE through building a powerful neutral atom quantum sensor network for probing non-local physical quantities, engineering novel atomtronics circuits for analog quantum signal processing, and understanding complex quantum dynamics utilizing many-body physics and quantum circuit design techniques.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.