PIRE: Hybrid Materials for Quantum Science and Engineering (HYBRID)

Pi：Sergey Frolov(匹兹堡大学)共同PI：Michael Htridge(匹兹堡大学)David Pekker(匹兹堡大学)Hrvoje Petek(匹兹堡大学)非技术摘要未来的量子计算机将释放基于量子叠加和纠缠原理的革命性计算能力。然而，任何计算机的好坏取决于它所用的材料：例如，我们今天计算机的成功归功于硅的非凡特性，它可以被加工成处理器。该中心将在匹兹堡大学的领导下，在美国和法国的大学、研究中心和企业之间建立一个多学科的合作伙伴关系。这一合作的目标是发现和研究在基础量子物理和量子设备工程中具有特殊前景的材料。特别是，重点将放在将半导体和超导体等不同材料种类组合在单一结构中的混合材料上。混合材料就像纳米线和原子厚度的薄片一样多种多样，一种材料和另一种材料之间有原子尖锐的界面。这个PERE计划将把材料工程师、表面科学家、计算化学家以及实验和理论物理学家聚集在一起。该方法将从晶体生长扩展到基于新合成材料的量子器件的制造和测试，并在理论和计算研究的指导和辅助下。美国和法国的学生将在该项目的多文化和多学科环境中接受量子技术培训。技术摘要由于量子信息固有的脆弱性，对量子计算机的材料要求比传统计算机更严格。此外，在建造实用的量子计算机之前，可能需要发现和掌握新的物理现象。这个世界的主要研究目标是发现新的杂化材料和寻找只有在杂化界面才能实现的新现象。混合材料是将不同材料类别的层结合在一起的材料，如超导体和半导体。这一合作伙伴关系将专注于混合材料的多样化领域，包括纳米线、范德华异质结构和二维外延界面。在第一性原理和介观理论研究的指导下，该方法将从晶体生长的现场观察扩展到基于这些材料的量子器件的低温测量。二维材料将主要在美国发展，而一维材料将在法国成为重点。由数千个量子比特组成的量子体系结构的可伸缩性要求对构成量子电路的材料进行精确的理解和控制。超导体与半导体的接口可以通过结合两者的优点为实现如此大规模的量子电路铺平道路，即半导体的电可调谐与超导体中观察到的长相干时间。超导体/半导体接口也是提出的容错量子比特的基础，这些比特编码在拓扑保护的量子态中，不受局部噪声的影响。来自美国的本科生、研究生和博士后将对法国进行研究访问，并参与国际研究项目，这些项目将利用独特的研究基础设施和在格勒诺布尔建立的完善的国际实习计划。美国的实验室将欢迎法国学生互访。该计划将为初级研究人员组织材料科学和量子计算前沿学科的暑期班和在线课程。

PI: Sergey Frolov (University of Pittsburgh)co-PIs: Michael Hatridge (University of Pittsburgh)David Pekker (University of Pittsburgh)Hrvoje Petek (University of Pittsburgh)Non-technical abstractA future quantum computer will unlock revolutionary computing powers based on the principles of quantum superposition and entanglement. However, any computer is only as good as the materials it is built from: for instance, the success of our present day computers is due to the remarkable properties of silicon which can be crafted into processors. This PIRE will establish a multidisciplinary partnership between universities, research centers and corporations in the U.S. and France, led by the University of Pittsburgh. The aim of the partnership is the discovery and investigation of materials that hold exceptional promise for fundamental quantum physics and quantum device engineering. In particular, the focus will be on hybrid materials which combine disparate materials kinds, such as semiconductors and superconductors, in a single structure. Hybrid materials are as diverse as nanowires and atom-thick sheets, with atomically sharp interfaces between one material and the other. This PIRE program will bring together materials engineers, surface scientists, computational chemists, and experimental and theoretical physicists. The approach will extend from crystal growth to fabrication and testing of quantum devices based on newly synthesized materials, guided and aided by theoretical and computational studies. U.S. and French students will receive quantum technology training in the multicultural and multidisciplinary environment of the project.Technical abstractDue to the inherent fragility of quantum information, the materials requirements for quantum computers are more stringent than for classical computers. Furthermore, new physical phenomena may need to be discovered and mastered before a practical quantum computer can be built. The primary research goal of this PIRE is the discovery of new hybrid materials and the search for emergent phenomena that can only be realized at hybrid interfaces. Hybrid materials are those which combine layers of dissimilar material classes, such as superconductors and semiconductors. This partnership will focus on a diverse universe of hybrid materials including nanowires, van der Waals heterostructures and two-dimensional epitaxial interfaces. The approach will extend from in-situ observation of crystal growth to low temperature measurements of quantum devices based on these materials, guided by first-principles and mesoscopic theory studies. Two-dimensional materials will be primarily pursued in the U.S., while one-dimensional materials will be the focus in France. Scalability of quantum architectures comprising thousands of quantum bits demands a precise understanding of and control over the materials that will comprise quantum circuits. Interfacing superconductors with semiconductors may pave the way to realizing such large-scale quantum circuits by combining the virtues of both, namely the electrical tunability of semiconductors with the long coherence times observed in superconductors. Superconductor/semiconductor interfaces are also the basis for proposed fault tolerant qubits encoded in topologically protected quantum states immune to local noise. Undergraduate, graduate students and postdocs from U.S. will perform research visits to France and participate in international research projects that will take advantage of unique research infrastructure and a well-established International Internship Program in Grenoble. Laboratories in the US will welcome French students for reciprocal visits. Summer schools and online courses on the frontier subjects in materials science and quantum computing will be organized for the junior researchers in the program.