New Quantum Hub, Purdue joins Chicago Quantum Exchange, and More News from the IQUIST All-Hands Meeting

The start of this school year also marks new beginnings for the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center (IQUIST). Launched in 2018, this is the center’s seventh year uniting faculty, students, and industry collaborators active in quantum information and technology research in and around Illinois. These researchers came together on Aug. 16^th for IQUIST’s annual “All-Hands” meeting, dedicated to updating its members about past and future research, and related ventures.

One of these new developments described by IQUIST Director and Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Professor Brian DeMarco is the newly announced Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, which is set to include shared user facility and host the DARPA Quantum Proving Ground.

DeMarco also welcomed several members of Purdue University’s Quantum Science and Engineering Institute (PQSEI) to the Illinois campus. Purdue University with PQSEI recently joined the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) or which IQUIST is a core member, and the two centers are looking forward to collaborating more in the future.

To mark the occasion, PSQEI director David Stewart introduced IQUIST to Purdue’s quantum activities, pointing out several avenues for collaboration. These were expanded upon by three subsequent presentations by Purdue University faculty members Arnab Banerjee, Hadiseh Alaeian, Jacob Zubin, and Vladimir Shalaev.

The lunch hour highlighted the awardees of the Lonnie Edelheit Graduate Summer Internship Fellowship as well as the newest recipients of the IQUIST Postdoctoral Fellowship, both of which will be featured in articles to come.

Also in attendance were this year’s cohort of Duality Accelerator innovators. Lalitha Nallamothula (QuantumAstra), Berk Kovos (SynthBits), Nathan Arnold (Photon Queue), and Bob Wold and Venkateswaran Kasirajan (Quantum Rings) all presented about their respective companies. Arnold is still a graduate student in the group of Physics Professor Paul Kwiat here at Illinois.

The afternoon programming includes tutorials from Illinois faculty members about their research and how it fits into broader trends in the advancement of quantum science.

Assistant Professor of Chemistry Mikael Backlund presented about quantum sensing of molecules and materials using nitrogen-vacancy centers (for more, see the description of the research by Backlund’s summer student Abdulsalam Odofin-Kamorudeen).

Next, Assistant Professor of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics Jacob Covey showcased highlights from his work on creating quantum systems from neutral atoms. His presentation described how using these atoms' unique, stable energy levels can lead to longer coherence times for the quantum states, meaning that the quantum information contained within does not disappear so quickly.

Finally, Assistant Professor of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics Elizabeth Goldschmidt gave an in-depth explanation of what makes a legitimate quantum memory. This memory holds the quantum information stored in a photonic qubit, either by hanging on to the photon or transferring the photon to a stable matter-based qubit, like an atom.

The day ended with some social time for the graduate students while faculty members wrapped up administrative tasks. Now that the semester has started, both groups will be deep into research projects alongside curricular engagements. Those interested in IQUIST can visit the website or attend its weekly seminar series.