EAGER: PHY-GRS: A Diamond Quantum Control Testbed

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

Quantum computing is a new type of computation that uses quantum mechanical states to encode information in a quantum bit, or qubit. Once a quantum computer is large enough, it will be able to calculate solutions to a set of problems that are not possible to solve on classical computers with bits. Scaling quantum computers is extremely challenging, however, due to the level of control needed to operate the quantum bits. Access to multiple qubit quantum processors at the level needed to improve quantum control only exists in laboratories that have the expertise to build the entire hardware systems. In this project, the PI and their team are building a multi-qubit quantum processor that can be utilized by control engineers without advanced expertise in the hardware. The processor is available to users both within and outside the University of Washington in the Quantum Technologies Teaching and Testbeds (QT3) user facility. QT3 is an unique combined teaching and user facility which provides state-of-the-art optical characterization tools for quantum technologies. As part of QT3, the Diamond Quantum Control Testbed is accessible to researchers via a user proposal mechanism and students via laboratory classes, capstone projects and masters theses. The testbed is based on a single nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond, in which low temperature and resonant laser control enable single shot readout of the qubit register. Just as IBM first envisioned that building a small scale quantum computer would generate interest and solutions in quantum computing, building a small scale quantum control register will generate interest and solutions in the area of quantum control. Access to the Diamond Quantum Control Testbed will enable advances in the areas of quantum noise spectroscopy and decoupling control sequences, open quantum systems, cluster state tomography and entanglement verification, and advancing machine learning in quantum systems. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.