RAISE-EQuIP: Chip-Scale Quantum Memories for Practical Quantum Communication Networks

RAISE-EQuIP：用于实用量子通信网络的芯片级量子存储器该项目是在美国国家科学基金会跨学科科学与工程（RAISE）研究进展呼吁的背景下构思的，特别是量子通信工程量子集成平台（EQuIP）的亲爱的同事信。它解决了21世纪科学的一个重大挑战：利用材料科学、纳米制造、信号处理和集成片上系统的现代能力，利用量子相干系统的计算能力和灵敏度进行实际应用。由于基于自旋的量子器件具有明显的潜力，这个RAISE-EQuIP项目采用了一种工程方法来解决目前限制其性能和可扩展性的一系列技术障碍。跨学科的方法利用最先进的经典和量子信号处理，硅基集成平台中的电子电路设计，机器学习优化和纳米光子设计，旨在将基于自旋的量子寄存器从实验室规模的实验转变为紧凑的集成系统，可用于新的应用和科学研究。这些设备在现实世界的限制下提供了卓越的性能，可以部署在测试平台量子通信网络中，并将使未来的基础量子物理研究成为可能。该合作项目将吸引来自不同背景的许多本科生和研究生；它的研究目标与广泛的教育使命相结合，即教育学生和公众有关量子科学和技术的新兴领域。通过实现紧凑，强大，低成本的量子设备，该项目将支持K-12学生和公众设计和部署有关自旋，光子和量子通信的实践活动，用于针对费城，宾夕法尼亚州和普罗维登斯，RI的大量不同人群的场地。核自旋簇耦合到光学可寻址的电子自旋量子比特，如金刚石中的氮空位（NV）中心，是量子通信的主要平台。集群构成了一个量子位寄存器，这些量子位可以单独寻址、纠缠、存储超过15次，并用于量子纠错。然而，目前最先进的实验是在实验室规模的装置上进行的，包括定制的光学低温恒温器、振动敏感的自由空间光学和微波电子机架。量子控制序列的次优光子收集效率和劳力密集的校准要求进一步阻碍了性能。这个RAISE-EQuIP项目将在多个层面上解决这些挑战，利用合作研究人员在钻石NV量子控制和器件工程（Bassett）、高速模拟电路设计和信号处理（Aflatouni）以及计算物理和纳米光子学（Zia）方面的互补专业知识。我们将设计和制造紧凑的光纤耦合金刚石器件，其中包括纳米光学超透镜和阻抗匹配微波天线，分别用于传输光学和自旋共振信号，并将这些器件与定制的硅CMOS芯片集成在一起，处理自旋共振、光子计数和实时自适应反馈控制所需的模拟和数字信号。计算机器学习方法将使未知耦合自旋哈密顿量的有效映射和控制成为可能。由此产生的量子寄存器设备将表现出优于最先进的实验室系统的性能，但尺寸，成本和能源需求只是其中的一小部分。模块化、混合集成系统的组件可推广到基于自旋、离子、光子和超导量子比特的其他量子架构，因此这些设备可以作为未来几代便携式量子技术的框架。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。

RAISE-EQuIP: Chip-Scale Quantum Memories for Practical Quantum Communication NetworksThis project is conceived in the context of the NSF's call for Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering (RAISE), and specifically a Dear Colleague Letter for Engineering Quantum Integrated Platforms for Quantum Communication (EQuIP). It addresses a grand challenge of 21st-century science: leveraging modern capabilities in materials science, nanofabrication, signal processing, and integrated systems-on-a-chip to harness the computational power and sensitivity of quantum-coherent systems for practical applications. Motivated by the clear potential of spin-based quantum devices, this RAISE-EQuIP project adopts an engineering approach to address a series of technological roadblocks that currently limit their performance and scalability. The interdisciplinary approach harnesses state-of-the-art classical and quantum signal processing, electronic circuit design in silicon-based integrated platforms, machine learning optimization, and nanophotonic design, with the aim to transform spin-based quantum registers from a laboratory-scale experiments into compact, integrated systems that are available to power new applications and scientific investigations. With superior performance offered under real-world constraints, these devices can be deployed in testbed quantum communication networks and will enable future investigations of fundamental quantum physics. The collaborative project will engage many undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds; its research goals are coupled with a broad educational mission to educate students and the public about the emerging field of quantum science and technology. Through the realization of compact, robust, low-cost quantum devices, this project will support the design and deployment of hands-on activities for K-12 students and the public about spins, photons, and quantum communication, for use at venues that target large, diverse populations in Philadelphia, PA and Providence, RI.Clusters of nuclear spins coupled to an optically addressable electron-spin qubit such as the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond are leading platforms for quantum communication. The cluster constitutes a register of qubits that can be individually addressed, entangled, stored for times exceeding 1s, and utilized for quantum error correction. However, state-of-the-art experiments are currently performed on laboratory-scale setups consisting of customized optical cryostats, vibration-sensitive free-space optics, and racks of microwave electronics. Performance is further impeded by sub-optimal photon collection efficiency and labor-intensive calibration requirements for quantum control sequences. This RAISE-EQuIP project will tackle these challenges on multiple levels, drawing on complementary expertise of the collaborating researchers in diamond NV quantum control and device engineering (Bassett), high-speed analog circuit design and signal processing (Aflatouni), and computational physics and nanophotonics (Zia). We will design and build compact, fiber-coupled diamond devices featuring nanofabricated optical metalenses and impedance-matched microwave antennas to transmit optical and spin-resonance signals, respectively, and integrate these devices with custom-fabricated silicon CMOS chips that process the necessary analog and digital signals for spin resonance, photon counting, and real-time adaptive feedback control. Computational machine learning methods will enable efficient mapping and control of the unknown coupled-spin Hamiltonian. The resulting quantum-register devices will exhibit performance superior to state-of-the-art laboratory systems, but with a fraction of the size, cost, and energy requirements. Components of the modular, hybrid-integrated system are generalizable to other quantum architectures based on spins, ions, photons, and superconducting qubits, so these devices can serve as a framework for future generations of portable quantum 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.