The Midwest Cold Atom Workshop (MCAW) celebrated its twentieth anniversary on Nov. 7 and 8 with a workshop held on the University of Illinois campus. Held at the Campus Instructional Facility and hosted by The Grainger College of Engineering in partnership with IQUIST, the event drew its largest-ever crowd with an estimated 250 attendees.

Established in 2005 by Professor Brian Leeds DeMarco, MCAW was created to assemble the few Midwest groups working on cold atom experiments.

“The goal was to help graduate students and postdocs make connections that would accelerate their research progress,” DeMarco said. “There were just 40 attendees that first year. I am so excited how the ecosystem has grown and that we are now the epicenter of quantum research in the U.S.”

The early connections formed through MCAW led to broader collaborations throughout the region and supported the development of the Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks Institute (HQAN) headquartered at IQUIST.

The weekend’s events commenced with a focus session on atomic quantum computing. Mark Saffman of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Infleqtion delivered a talk on the development of neutral atom quantum computing, followed by Phil Richerme of Indiana University, who discussed trapped-ion quantum computing. The evening also featured an industry lightning round with speakers from Vexlum Photonics, Pasqal, AOSense, QutLaser, MenloSystems, Infleqtion, and Vescent Photonics, followed by an industry social hour.

The program concluded with afternoon sessions on matter-wave entanglement; high-Q microring resonators; Rydberg-atom quantum sensing; and approaches to dark-matter detection using AMO techniques. Attendees were also treated to laboratory tours across the Illinois Grainger campus.

The milestone weekend was organized in part by physics professor Jacob Covey, who recognized the significance of MCAW’s return to Urbana after 20 years.

“It was fun to reflect on how much cold atom and quantum science research in the Midwest has grown in the past 20 years and to highlight Brian’s legacy during that period,” Covey said. "We increased sponsor and industry engagement significantly, receiving sponsorship from 12 companies including manufacturers of laser and supporting hardware as well as developers of atom-based quantum computers.”

Such industry engagement is mutually beneficial: students learn about cutting-edge technology and career opportunities, while companies interact directly with the research groups producing the members of their future workforce.

“We hope to continue increasing MCAW’s footprint as the Midwest region continues to expand in atomic and quantum science and technology,” Covey said.

Brian Leeds DeMarco is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of physics in the Department of Physics and is affiliated with the Materials Research Laboratory. He is the director of the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center, Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks, and is the director and chief technology officer of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. DeMarco holds the Bardeen Faculty Scholar appointment. 

Jacob Covey is an Illinois Grainger Engineering assistant professor of physics in the Department of Physics. He is affiliated with the Materials Research Laboratory, the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center, and Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks.