Center: IUCRC Phase I Carnegie Mellon: Center for Quantum Computing and Information Technologies (Q-CIT)

量子计算和信息技术中心(QCiT)将把选定行业中复杂但重要的实际问题映射到新兴和未来的量子处理器上。复杂的问题有非常多的变量，这些变量以复杂的方式相互作用；在经典计算机上解决这样的问题是具有挑战性的。由于未来的量子处理器预计将实现大规模互联，QCiT还将研究处理器节点之间的互联网络方案；这种类型的网络对于高分辨率和高精度的量子传感器也是至关重要的。此外，如果设计得当，量子网络可以成为超安全信息系统的基础。QCiT的首要目标是创建和培育一个生态系统，在这个生态系统中，行业、政府实验室，包括联邦资助的研究和开发中心，与教职员工和学生合作解决用例问题，加速将量子计算和信息技术转化为实践。这将通过开发和建设两个关键试验台来实现：一个用于量子计算，另一个用于研究量子信息编码、传输和检测设备的量子网络。这样的网络允许研究用于操作和处理量子信息的协议和算法。这两个试验台(I)通过提供共同的总体目标来统一中心的研究努力，(Ii)作为组件和设备技术的开发工具，(Iii)提供开发实用协议和算法的平台，以及(Iv)为培训量子计算和信息技术的劳动力提供必要的基础设施。经典计算和信息技术对社会产生了革命性的影响。量子计算和相关的信息技术将从根本上改变信息的处理和转换方式。拟建中心的生态系统提供了基础，以满足将实际用例应用程序转换为量子计算研究问题的未得到满足的需求，这些问题可以在我们独特的试验台上轻松解决和演示，同时开发和培训一支对有意义地利用技术至关重要的多学科劳动力队伍。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Center for Quantum Computing and Information Technologies (QCiT) will map complex, but important practical problems in selected sectors of industry onto emerging and future quantum processors. Complex problems have very large number of variables that interact in complicated ways; such problems are challenging to solve on classical computers. Since future quantum processors are expected to be massively interconnected, QCiT will also investigate schemes for interconnection networks among processor nodes; this same type of network is also critical for high resolution and precision quantum sensors. Furthermore, when appropriately designed, quantum networks can be the basis for ultra-secure information systems.The overarching goal of QCiT is to create and nurture an ecosystem where industry, government laboratories, including Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, work collaboratively with faculty and students on use-case problems that accelerate translation ofquantum computing and information technologies to practice. This will be achieved by developing and constructing two critical test-beds: one for quantum computing, and another for quantum networks for investigating devices for quantum information encoding, transmission, and detection. Such a network permits investigation of protocols and algorithms for manipulating and processing quantum information. The two test-beds (i) unify the research efforts of the center by providing common overarching objectives, (ii) serve as developments tools for component and device technologies, (iii) provide platforms for developing practical protocols and algorithms, and (iv) provide an essential infrastructure for training a workforce in quantum computing and information technologies.Classical computing and information technologies have had transformative impacts on society. Quantum computing and the associated information technologies will radically change how information is processed and transformed. The ecosystem of the proposed center provides the foundation to address an unmet need of translating practical use-case applications to quantum computing research problems that can be readily solved and demonstrated in our unique test-beds, while simultaneously developing and training a multidisciplinary workforce that is essential for meaningful exploitation of the 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.