The Center for Quantum Networks is leading the development of a socially responsible quantum internet and a diverse quantum engineering workforce.
The Center for Quantum Networks (CQN), funded by the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center programme and housed at the University of Arizona with over ten academic partners, is set to build a socially responsible quantum internet to spur new industries and a competitive marketplace of quantum service providers.
CQN will develop the entire technology stack to upgrade the internet to carry quantum data on a global scale reliably. This upgraded internet will support various applications across user groups and adapt to changing demands in quantum communication services.
CQN’s programmes
The organisation’s research is focused on building fault-tolerant quantum repeaters. The team builds these by using scalable spin-based quantum memories with universal quantum logic and efficient interfaces to photons.
This year, CQN started a major virtual testbed initiative to develop the world’s most powerful digital twin of the quantum internet. This will also serve as an integration tool to connect all research thrusts.
CQN’s programmes include:
- Research on the quantum architecture, quantum subsystems, quantum devices, and the societal impact of these areas on building a quantum internet;
- An engineering workforce development programme, creating a pipeline of talent across ages, disciplines and learning levels;
- The innovation ecosystem programme with 22 members and growing, spanning the value chain from materials and devices, through subsystems and network architecture, technology integration and applications. We also welcome venture capital firms to have a ‘seat at the table’; and
- The diversity and culture of inclusion programme to recruit and retain diverse faculty, staff, students and post-docs while uniting individuals from different campuses across the centre.
Notable achievements
This recent year has been very successful yet complex for CQN. Significantly, the team made technical progress across many collaborative projects with more than 60 publications. Notable achievements include:
- Successful demonstration of bidirectional quantum state transfer from spin to 737nm photon to 1550nm photon to 737nm photon back to spin over a 40+ km fibre link.
- Development of a highly-multiplexed PIC-coupled SiV memory architecture for generating spin-spin entangled states.
- Characterisation of the nuclear-spin environment of SnV colour centres to support high-fidelity electron-nuclear spin gates.
- Integration of Tin-vacancy colour centre qubits in a ~1K-compatible environment.
- Development of ultra-low thermal-footprint superconducting spin readout using Indium Tin Oxide.
- Innovative methods of high-efficiency heralded entanglement among remote quantum memories.
- High-efficiency spectrally-heralded photonic entanglement sources.
- Research on quantum network tomography, routing, and scheduling of quantum communication flows.
- Developed a Master’s programme in Quantum Information Science and Engineering through the Wyant College of Optical Sciences at The University of Arizona to be taken online or on campus in Tucson, AZ.
- Yearly Winterschool, a short course programme held in early January designed by CQN faculty, assisted by students. Register here!
The results from the past year have helped refine the CQN’s aim of developing scalable quantum networks.
The organisation’s Thrust 4 focused on the societal impacts of the quantum internet, developing the first edition of the Quantum Policy and Ethics Roadmap. As part of Thrust 4’s research, the economics and market for quantum internet technologies were also explored. These projects are led by Quantum Society Fellows who perform research in these areas and beyond.
CQN launched their first international collaboration in partnership with CONNECT Centre at Trinity College Dublin through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), the Department for Employment and Learning (Northern Ireland) (DEL), and National Science Foundation (NSF) through their centre to centre programme.
CoQREATE will build linkages between classical and quantum networking, education, workforce development, and societal impacts research between the US and Ireland.
For more information, watch this video from the 2023 March American Physical Society (APS) meeting.
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