Science & Technology

New project aims to advance secure communications through quantum technology

Daniel William Strain — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 20:45:16 +0000

New project aims to advance secure communications through quantum technology Daniel William… Wed, 12/18/2024 - 13:45

Kenna Castleberry

The U.S. National Science Foundation has named CU Boulder a collaborator on newly announced pilot projects supported by the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) initiative. This groundbreaking effort seeks to accelerate the development of quantum technologies and make cutting-edge quantum tools accessible to researchers nationwide. To do this, the NSF has funded 11 pilot projects (with six announced Dec. 16) to overcome the current engineering challenges facing the development of quantum devices.

Among the six new pilot projects selected, CU Boulder will contribute to the Attosecond Synchronized Photonic Entanglement Network (ASPEN-Net). This ambitious project, led by the University of Oregon, aims to create a high-performance, 16-node quantum networking testbed capable of distributing entanglement over distances of up to 100 kilometers. The network is expected to revolutionize secure quantum communications and enable novel distributed quantum sensors and computers.

From left to right, Catherine Saladrigas, Juliet Gopinath and Killian Dickson in the Gopinath lab at CU Boulder. (Credit: College of Engineering and Applied Science)

Mike Mazurek and Krister Shalm, researchers affiliated with CU Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will spearhead CU Boulder’s efforts along with CU Boulder electrical engineering and physics Professor Juliet Gopinath. Their combined quantum physics and engineering expertise positions them as key players in advancing the project’s goals.

“This collaboration exemplifies the cutting-edge quantum science happening at CU Boulder and highlights our commitment to fostering innovation in this transformative field,” said Mazurek.

The NSF NQVL initiative reflects a broader national strategy to harness quantum properties for practical applications, such as secure communication, advanced computing and biomedical sensing. Each pilot project receives $1 million in funding over 12 months to develop real-world test environments to advance the potential of quantum-based technologies.

Shalm, a member of CU Boulder’s Quantum Engineering Initiative, added: “The ASPEN-Net project pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in quantum networking. CU Boulder has a rich history of developing the kinds of breakthrough science and technologies that will be needed for this national effort.”

By participating in ASPEN-Net, CU Boulder continues to build on its legacy of leadership in quantum research, cementing its reputation as a hub for innovation and collaboration in this rapidly evolving field.

“Our involvement in ASPEN-Net highlights the interdisciplinary strength of CU Boulder, where engineering, physics and national labs converge to tackle the most challenging problems in quantum technology,” said Gopinath.

For more information about CU Boulder’s quantum initiatives, visit the CUbit Quantum Initiative website.

Three CU Boulder researchers have joined a newly funded project to develop secure quantum networks.

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Colorado and the AI revolution

Megan Maneval — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 19:20:31 +0000

Colorado and the AI revolution Megan Maneval Wed, 12/18/2024 - 12:20

Leeds School of Business

Colorado is at the forefront of the AI revolution, adopting applications across industries and leading with the Colorado Artificial Intelligence Act. This topic was a spotlight at the 60th annual Colorado Business Economic Outlook Forum.

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Learning the recipe for grizzly gourmet

Megan Maneval — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:39:58 +0000

Learning the recipe for grizzly gourmet Megan Maneval Mon, 12/16/2024 - 12:39

Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine

CU Boulder anthropology doctoral candidate Sabrina Bradford has been learning what’s on the menu for grizzlies in Montana.

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Robotics research to help strengthen domestic battery supply chain

Megan Maneval — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:25:23 +0000

Robotics research to help strengthen domestic battery supply chain Megan Maneval Tue, 12/10/2024 - 08:25

College of Engineering and Applied Science

Computer science professor Nikolaus Correll and his lab have been awarded $1.8 million to research autonomous electric vehicle battery disassembly. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

Computer science professor Nikolaus Correll, and his lab, has been awarded $1.8 million to research autonomous electric vehicle battery disassembly. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

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Cetacean science: A new understanding of humpback whale genetics

Megan Maneval — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 20:13:27 +0000

Cetacean science: A new understanding of humpback whale genetics Megan Maneval Wed, 12/04/2024 - 13:13

Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine

Learn how a team of CU doctoral students produced the first chromosome-level reference genome for humpback whales.

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What we don’t know about fungi could hurt us

Megan Maneval — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 15:05:28 +0000

What we don’t know about fungi could hurt us Megan Maneval Mon, 11/25/2024 - 08:05

Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine

CU Boulder researchers have demonstrated how gaps in taxonomical knowledge hinder conservation efforts.

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Fish on film: Uncovering the environmental drivers of black spot syndrome

Megan Maneval — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 15:46:48 +0000

Fish on film: Uncovering the environmental drivers of black spot syndrome Megan Maneval Fri, 11/15/2024 - 08:46

Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine

CU Boulder researchers use a unique, noninvasive method to determine the environmental factors contributing to several symptoms among tropical fish.

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CU Boulder releases quantum workforce roadmap for economy’s next big thing

Megan Maneval — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 12:11:21 +0000

CU Boulder releases quantum workforce roadmap for economy’s next big thing Megan Maneval Thu, 10/31/2024 - 06:11

A new workforce roadmap released this week aims to train, prepare and inspire the next generation of quantum workers and the general public in Colorado and the Mountain West.

The roadmap, led by CU Boulder’s CUbit Quantum Initiative and the Research and Innovation Office’s Workforce Innovation Initiative, addresses the predicted growth of Colorado’s quantum economy. The development of the roadmap included representatives from universities, government agencies, school districts and quantum companies and was funded by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).

Key elements of the plan will be activated through various educational institutions, government agencies and companies to build a diverse and inclusive workforce that matches the demands of the quantum industry.

Elevate Quantum will be a key part of next steps. In 2023, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) named Elevate Quantum an official tech hub for quantum information technology. Elevate Quantum is a coalition of 120 organizations, with CU Boulder as a prime contributor, in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. Since that designation, the coalition has secured more than $120 million in funding to grow the quantum industry in Colorado and the Mountain West.

Learn more

“The recent EDA Tech Hub designation for Colorado and the Mountain West region accelerates the need for a comprehensive and actionable education and workforce training strategy,” said Scott Sternberg, executive director of the CUbit Quantum Initiative at CU Boulder. “We are excited to build upon this initial plan in the years ahead through our partnership with Elevate Quantum.”

“This roadmap provides a foundation for the work we are starting,” said Lucy Sanders, co-chair of the Elevate Quantum Workforce Collaborative (EQWC) and founder and executive in residence of the National Center for Women & InformationTechnology in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at CU Boulder. “The findings contained in this roadmap will help accelerate our work and provide a framework for a regional discussion.”

Quantum companies employ about 3,000 people in Colorado now, and Elevate Quantum estimates that those numbers could climb to 10,000 within the next decade.

“Colorado is home to one of the best workforces in the nation, and this comprehensive quantum roadmap will guide our efforts to prepare skilled workers across the state for the opportunities to come,” said Eve Lieberman, executive director of OEDIT. “This is a key step to connect Coloradans to good-paying jobs and ensure our state continues to lead the way developing this transformational, next generation technology.”

Roadmap partners

This work was guided by the following organizations:

Boulder Valley School District
Colorado Community College System
Colorado Mesa University
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado State University
Fort Lewis College
Front Range Community College
Infleqtion
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Quantinuum
Sandia National Laboratories
University of Colorado Anschutz
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University of Colorado Colorado Springs
University of Colorado Denver
University of Colorado System
University of Northern Colorado

Efforts around quantum workforce development began in earnest in Colorado in 2023 with a meeting of more than 200 representatives from across Colorado’s private sector, educational institutions and other groups. Since then, the plan has developed into a comprehensive document with clear tactics, goals and outcomes.

Colorado is already a national leader in training some of the employees who will work at these companies. That includes programming in the state’s world-class physics departments and through JILA, a joint research institute between the university and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The quantum workforce roadmap aims to further break down quantum physics and computing in a way that anyone can understand. It calls for more resources for K-12 teachers to help them show their students what quantum physics is and how it’s already a part of their lives—such as through long-established technologies like transistors and lasers.

Involving K-12 in the conversations early is key, said Jody Bennett, a work-based learning coordinator in the Boulder Valley School District who was actively involved in the roadmap’s development.

“No matter what journey or path a student is on, there is a place in quantum,” Bennett said. “I do think K-12 has to be a part of these conversations to be sure the programs we’re building really do have the full (workforce) pipeline. At the end of the day, the earlier we talk about quantum, the sooner we can get more people to jump on that path.”

The report also recommends expanding programs at community colleges to give students learning welding, electronics and programming an introduction to quantum physics. The report emphasizes expanding pathways for women and other groups historically underrepresented in physics to join the quantum industry.

"As we look to the future of the quantum industry, it is essential that we build a diverse and inclusive workforce that can meet the demands of this rapidly growing field,” said Susan Schwamberger, chief human resources officer at Quantinuum. “The new quantum workforce roadmap from CU Boulder provides a comprehensive strategy to train and inspire the next generation of quantum professionals, ensuring that Colorado and the Mountain West remain at the forefront of this technological revolution.”

Colorado has big quantum chops, but is the workforce ready? A new quantum workforce roadmap led by CU Boulder lays out a bold and inclusive plan for Colorado and the Mountain West.

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New quantum timekeeper packs several clocks into one

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 16:40:59 +0000

New quantum timekeeper packs several clocks into one Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/09/2024 - 10:40

Daniel Strain

From left to right, Adam Kaufman, Nelson Darkwah Oppong, Alec Cao and Theo Lukin Yelin inspect an optical atomic clock at JILA on the CU Boulder campus. (Credit: Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder)

Imagine walking into a room where several different grandfather clocks hang on the walls, each ticking at a different pace.

Quantum physicists at CU Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have essentially recreated that room at the scale of atoms and electrons. The team’s advancement could pave the way for new kinds of optical atomic clocks, devices that track the passage of time by measuring the natural “ticking” of atoms.

The group’s new clock is made from a few dozen strontium atoms trapped in a lattice pattern. To improve the device’s performance, the team generated a type of ghostly interaction, known as quantum entanglement, between groups of those atoms—basically squishing four different kinds of clocks into the same time-keeping apparatus.

It’s not your ordinary pocket watch: The researchers showed that, at least under a narrow range of conditions, their clock could beat a benchmark for precision called the “standard quantum limit”—what physicist Adam Kaufman refers to as the “Holy Grail” for optical atomic clocks.

“What we’re able to do is divide the same length of time into smaller and smaller units,” said Kaufman, senior author of the new study and a fellow at JILA, a joint research institute between CU Boulder and NIST. “That acceleration could allow us to track time more precisely.”The team’s advancements could lead to new quantum technologies. They include sensors that can measure subtle changes in the environment, such as how Earth’s gravity shifts with elevation.

Kaufman and his colleagues, including first author Alec Cao, a graduate student at JILA, published their findings Oct. 9 in the journal Nature.

Graduate students Theo Lukin Yelin and Alec Cao monitor an optical atomic clock at JILA. (Credit: Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder)

Lassoing atoms

The research represents another major advancement for optical atomic clocks, which can do a lot more than tell time.

To make such a device, scientists typically begin by trapping and chilling a cloud of atoms down to frigid temperatures. They then zap those atoms with a powerful laser. If the laser is tuned just right, electrons orbiting those atoms will jump from a lower energy level to a higher energy level, then back again. Think of it like the pendulum of a grandfather clock swinging back and forth—only these clocks tick more than a trillion times per second.

They’re extremely precise. The newest optical atomic clocks at JILA, for example, can detect the change in gravity if you lift them up by just a fraction of a millimeter.

“Optical clocks have become an important platform in many areas of quantum physics because they allow you to control individual atoms to such a high degree—both where those atoms are, and also what states they’re in,” Kaufman said.

But they also have a big drawback: In quantum physics, things as small as atoms never behave exactly like you’d expect. These natural uncertainties set what seems to be an unbreakable limit on just how precise a clock can get.

Entanglement, however, could provide a workaround.

Fluffy orbits

Kaufman explained that when two particles become entangled, information about one of them will automatically reveal information about the other. In practice, entangled atoms in a clock behave less like individuals and more like a single atom, which makes their behavior easier to predict.

In the current study, the researchers generated this kind of quantum link by nudging their strontium atoms so that their electrons orbited far away from their nuclei—almost as if they were made of cotton candy.

Lukin Yelin and Cao in the Kaufman lab at JILA. (Credit: Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder)

“It’s like a fluffy orbit,” Kaufman said. “This fluffiness means that if you bring two atoms close enough, the electrons can feel each other nearby, resulting in a strong interaction between them.”

Those conjoined pairs also tick at a faster pace than atoms on their own.

The team experimented with creating clocks that included a combination of individual atoms and entangled groups of two, four and eight atoms—in other words, four clocks ticking at four rates in one.

They found that, at least under certain conditions, entangled atoms have a lot less uncertainty in their ticking than the atoms in a traditional optical atomic clock.

“That means that it takes us less time to get to the same level of precision,” he said.

Exquisite control

He and his colleagues still have a lot of work to do. For a start, the researchers can only run their clock effectively for about 3 milliseconds. Longer than that, and the entanglement between atoms starts to slip, causing the atomic ticking to become chaotic.

But Kaufman sees a lot of potential for the device. His team’s approach toward entangling atoms could, for example, form the basis for what physicists call “multi-qubit gates”—the basic operations that perform calculations in quantum computers, or devices that could one day outperform traditional computers at certain tasks.

“The question is: Can we create new kinds of clocks with tailored properties, enabled by the exquisite control that we have in these systems?” Kaufman said.

Other CU Boulder and NIST co-authors on the study included NIST and JILA Fellow Jun Ye; JILA post-doctoral researchers Kyungtae Kim and Nelson Darkwah Oppong; and JILA graduate students William Eckner, Theo Lukin Yelin, Aaron Young and Lingfeng Yan. Guido Pupillo of the University of Strasbourg was also a co-author.

Quantum physicists at CU Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology are paving the way for new kinds of optical atomic clocks, devices that track the passage of time by measuring the natural “ticking” of atoms.

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CU Boulder partners with Notre Dame to improve housing resilience

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 17:51:55 +0000

CU Boulder partners with Notre Dame to improve housing resilience Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/08/2024 - 11:51

College of Engineering and Applied Science

Two longtime friends, CU Boulder’s Abbie Liel and Notre Dame’s Susan Ostermann, are leading a study on resilient housing in disaster-prone areas including Maui, Alaska and Puerto Rico. Their research combines Liel’s expertise in structural engineering with Ostermann’s background in political science and law.

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Science & Technology

New project aims to advance secure communications through quantum technology

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