NSF Awards $1M Grant to New Mexico Universities for Quantum Photonics Computer Research

Aug. 30, 2024 — Quantum researchers at The University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to research the development of a photonic quantum computer that can operate at room temperature in a pilot program titled “Quantum Computing Applications of Photonics.”

The pilot project, which began Aug. 15, is one of five nationwide to receive funding as part of the NSF’s National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL), a national program to enable the development of quantum technologies. Other projects selected for NQVL funding are led by Stony Brook University, Duke University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of California Los Angeles.

The research team leadership is comprised mostly of UNM researchers including Principal Investigator and Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Marek Osinski; Co-PI and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Ganesh Balakrishnan; Co-PI and Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Liz Godwin; Co-PI and Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy Tara Drake; and Co-PI and Professor of Physics at New Mexico State University Boris Kiefer.

Most quantum computers can only operate at extremely low temperatures, but the use of Gaussian boson sampling and photonics implementation could help researchers develop a computer with quantum power that is operational at room temperature. Gaussian boson computers have been developed before but have more closely resembled optical tables found in laboratories than the devices most people regard as computers. The team aims to develop the technology as a fully integrated chip.

“This funding is extremely important because it gives us nationwide visibility in the field of quantum photonics and this grant recognizes our past contributions to the field of photonics that began at the Center for High Technology Materials in 1985,” Osinski said. “Our vision is to develop a quantum computer that can be commercialized.“

The NSF NQVL pilot funding is the first phase of what will evolve into several competitive funding stages and is intended for development of the design phase of the NQVL initiative. The team has already implemented a plan for program management with the help of UNM’s Anderson School of Management to help them plan for collaborations with other organizations and eventual expansion.

“If we are successful with subsequent steps, that could eventually result in local business development,” Osinski said. “With continued research, hopefully Albuquerque will become well-known for photonic quantum computing.”

The first year of research will focus on the development of key components of a Gaussian boson sampling computer, including electrically pumped quantum dots, which are semiconducting objects of less than 100 nanometers in size, that will emit entangled photon pairs, a network of tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometers, and dynamically biased avalanche photodiodes.

Other elements of the project include engineering education and workforce development that are expected to lead to the development of a Quantum Science and Engineering graduate program at UNM, as well as quantum educational opportunities for students at Central New Mexico Community College, Navajo Technical University and San Juan College. Eventually, the team hopes to create a longitudinal study examining the employment outcomes of students who receive quantum-related education.

The project will also involve collaborations with industry and nearby national laboratories, including the formation of an external advisory committee made up of the stakeholders at those organizations.

Learn more about the NSF NQVL program on the NSF website.

Source: Carly Bowling, UNM