UMD: UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO LEAD THE NEXT QUANTUM REVOLUTION “We are witnessing the beginning DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS FOR CRITICAL SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGES of a second quantum revolution. The complexity of our modern scientific The first revolution relied on challenges—such as mapping the human brain, advancing personalized medicine and what is today seen as the ‘ordinary’ safeguarding communications networks— features of quantum theory. demands faster processing and greater technological advances. By building a MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES The second revolution is based device based on quantum bits, or qubits, it may be possible to store, process and THE NEXT on the truly weird aspects of BIG ADVANCE? transmit information faster, better and The Second quantum physics.” 2007 Quantum Revolution more securely than today’s technology. 2000 1994 New Era of THE FUTURE 1980 The Rise Dr. William Phillips Smartphones and 1954 The Dawn of the of the Internet Hand-held Devices NOBEL LAUREATE AND FELLOW The Birth of Personal Computer OF THE JOINT QUANTUM INSTITUTE OF 1905 1903 Semiconductor THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AND 1900 The Birth of WHY MARYLAND? The Birth of Electronics THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS Quantum Mechanics • World-Renowned Expertise, with nearly Aviation OF QUANTUM AND TECHNOLOGY 200 Dedicated Researchers • Three Quantum Research Centers WORLD-CHANGING POTENTIAL 1800 Focused on Physics, Computer Science The last three centuries have featured and Engineering 1760-1840 defining moments of innovation that • New State of the Art Facility for Quantum The Industrial RESEARCH changed the course of humankind. Much Research Activity Revolution 1700 of the technology that characterized 20th • Key Location in Washington D.C. Area that Promotes Extensive Collaboration with century life resulted from the birth of Federal and Industry Partners quantum mechanics. Today, a new age BEGINS HERE 1600 of quantum discovery is emerging. The University of Maryland is an estab- “Advances in this second wave will not lished world leader in the transformative 1500 field of quantum research, putting the only involve computing, but also sensing weirdness of quantum physics to work in 1450 and communications. This field has the Invention of new advances that offer the potential to The Printing Press 1400 make an enormous impact on human lives. power to change our world in amazing Researchers capitalize on the strange ways, and the University of Maryland behavior of quantum systems, which can exist in two different states simultaneously, has the research expertise and making new data processing advances resources to lead this revolution.” possible that supercede the zeros and ones TO LEARN MORE VISIT of binary code. The potential impact of Dr. Patrick O’Shea UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND VICE PRESIDENT http://research.umd.edu/quantum-research quantum research transcends computing. AND CHIEF RESEARCH OFFICER “The exploration of quantum computing THE JOINT QUANTUM INSTITUTE THE JOINT CENTER FOR QUANTUM INFORMATION will yield two potential benefits: new algorithms A great deal of this research is being conducted at the Joint collaborative environment give the institute its strength. AND COMPUTER SCIENCE for heretofore unreachable computations and Quantum Institute (JQI), a research partnership between UMD JQI research covers atoms, photonics, semiconductors, In addition to the JQI and QEC, the Joint “Harnessing the power of deeper understanding of the mysterious properties of and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), superconductors and more—all of which have untold Center for Quantum Information and with support from the Laboratory for Physical Sciences. JQI potential for discovery. individual atoms to solve some of Computer Science (QuICS) was launched in is led by UMD Professor of Physics Steven Rolston and NIST entanglement. The University of Maryland is addressing Many of the institute’s scientists are pioneers, like JQI October 2014. It is a research partnership physicist Charles Clark. JQI scientists are engaged in major mankind’s most difficult problems an important, emerging research field.” Fellow and atomic physicist Gretchen Campbell, who was between the university and NIST, with the experimental and theoretical research programs dedicated recognized in 2015 for her work in atomtronics. is a breathtaking concept. UMD is support and participation of the Research Dr. Vint Cerf to exploring, controlling and exploiting quantum systems. Directorate of the National Security Agency/ VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF INTERNET EVANGELIST “We are really coming to understand quantum mechanics bursting at the seams with the talent FOR GOOGLE AND AMERICAN INTERNET PIONEER JQI also hosts a prestigious National Science Foundation Central Security Service, which will focus on at the macroscopic level,” said Richard E. Prange Chair in Physics Frontier Center, one of only 10 in the nation. quantum information theory. QuICS is led by Physics, Distinguished University Professor, and JQI Fellow and creativity that will “The information revolution [has been] about using Andrew Childs, a UMD associate professor of Sankar Das Sarma. “How do quantum states disappear? make it happen.” quantum mechanics to understand materials and design computer science, and Jacob Taylor, a NIST UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK What do you have to do to keep quantum states alive devices.” said Rolston. “In the last 20 years we have Dr. Michael Wertheimer scientist and JQI Fellow. forever? How can we see quantum behavior in millions FORMER DIRECTOR FOR RESEARCH QuICS PARTNERSHIP SIGNING become very good at manipulating individual quantum NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY QuICS researchers aim to answer questions POISED FOR QUANTUM of atoms simultaneously? All of these are big questions GRETCHEN CAMPBELL, JQI FELLOW systems, and we can now exploit some of what we call that lead to a quantum computer, and they lead to an that fall into four categories: How does our knowledge of quantum to do new things.” BREAKTHROUGH quantum weirdness understanding of nature, too.” mechanics change our understanding of what computers can do? The breadth of research combined with a synergistic VISIT JQI.UMD.EDU How does our knowledge of the capacity of quantum computers The University of Maryland is a leader in quantum science, change our understanding of nature? How can a technological society with a critical mass of quantum science experts and three THE QUANTUM ENGINEERING CENTER keep its information secure in a quantum world? And finally, given all the imperfections and challenges of quantum computing, how do we research centers focused on different aspects of the field. In March 2014, Lockheed Martin and UMD partnered to process and turn it into an assembly line, and that’s go forward into the second information revolution? create the Quantum Engineering Center (QEC), where what we need,” said QEC Director , UMD offers state-of-the-art facilities, recently opening Christopher Monroe Ongoing projects at QuICS include theoretical and experimental researchers are focused on creating a working quantum a JQI Fellow, the Bice Zorn Professor of Physics and a a new 160,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Complex. “Through Lockheed Martin’s partnership research on quantum algorithms, quantum complexity theory, quantum device. Building on more than 60 years of collaboration world leader in ion trap quantum information. “Our goal The building’s innovative design includes extra-thick communication, quantum key distribution, post-quantum cryptography with the University of Maryland, we hope to between Lockheed Martin and UMD, the QEC seeks to push is to build a device where you don’t have to know its inner and more. The researchers will think through the possibilities and concrete floors to minimize vibrations that could the boundaries of scientific discovery and innovation. workings. You just use it. That requires serious engineering.” capitalize on our shared expertise in limitations of a quantum computer that does not yet exist. interfere with experiments, and highly precise temperature “This powerful relationship between Lockheed Martin and In Monroe’s lab, physicists use precisely calibrated lasers quantum science to accelerate innovation The futuristic nature of their work poses certain dilemmas. For example, control—within a half-degree Fahrenheit. the University of Maryland represents one of the most to trap and control charged atoms—ions—in a vacuum “If you want to understand the performance of a classical algorithm, and advancements in quantum computing.” historically significant partnerships between a university chamber, where they become the processors for the These are exciting times for advancements in quantum you can just run the algorithm and see how it works,” said Childs. and a corporation,” said Darryll Pines, dean of the A. James quantum computer. In 2014, his research team used lasers science at Maryland. Dr. Keoki Jackson “Understanding quantum algorithms is harder because we can’t yet CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, Clark School of Engineering. “Directing our collaborative and a specialized camera to characterize a crystal of 18 LOCKHEED MARTIN run them.” “The stars are all aligned. The future is going to be focus toward innovation in quantum technology will deliver atom qubits, in a method analogous to MRI for validating QuICS researchers want to understand the kinds of tasks quantum ground-breaking results.” experimental protocols. This work was one of the largest breathtaking,” said physicist