A new grant from the National Science Foundation awarded to Virginia Lorenz, professor of physics in The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will aid researchers in making quantum technologies more powerful and reliable for future computing, communication, and sensing applications.
The 3-year, $800,000 award will improve how scientists store and use information in quantum computers and communication systems. Encompassing both fundamental theory and experimentation, Lorenz’s work will investigate the use of atoms for building photon memories and improving storage times. In addition to providing training to graduate and undergraduate students in quantum theory, the NSF funding will also be used to develop a new master’s program for high school teachers to bring quantum physics into secondary schools.
Lorenz’s group will further engage the community and beyond in quantum technology through the recently created Public Quantum Network, which distributes entangled photons to public spaces.
“The ability to store particles of light is important for new methods of computing, communicating, and sensing based on quantum physics,” Lorenz said. “By studying methods to enhance quantum memory operation, investigating its application in quantum information processing tasks, and elucidating and engineering its quantum correlations, this work will advance the broadly impactful goals of improved computation, communication, and sensing.”
Illinois Grainger Engineering Affiliations
Virginia Lorenz is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of physics in the Department of Physics. She is affiliated with the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center in the Materials Research Laboratory.