EAGER: Quantum Manufacturing: Enabling Integrated Quantum Network Nodes

This EArly-concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) Quantum Manufacturing project tackles the challenge of networking local quantum computers using integrated optical networks. Currently, quantum computers are limited to purely local computation, analogous to computers without an internet. Additionally, optical fiber communication infrastructure that works for classical information is not suitable for quantum information. This project focuses on solving materials and integration challenges that will enable the team to fabricate scalable nodes of a quantum optical network, thus making a key step toward establishing a quantum internet. For quantum optical network nodes to succeed, they must unify high-quality optical devices that control and manipulate light with local elements that store the fragile quantum information. The research team will integrate the materials needed for these two distinct tasks by taking advantage of recent advances in semiconductor growth. With the integrated materials, the optical devices can be fabricated in a cleanroom. These devices will communicate with local quantum states, and the research team will benchmark the performance of the system. As part of this effort, the team will include undergraduate and graduate students in quantum manufacturing research, thus developing a workforce prepared for the challenges of emerging quantum technologies. The team will also aid in the recruitment of female engineering students and students from groups that are currently under-represented in engineering. The research team will create a silicon carbide on aluminum nitride quantum optical platform, taking advantage of the crystalline epitaxy between aluminum nitride crystals grown on silicon carbide substrates. The silicon carbide will host optically active spin qubits in the form of silicon vacancy centers. This will be coupled to nitride-based optical waveguides, cavities, modulators, and nonlinear optical elements to enable all necessary aspects of quantum network nodes. The research will involve materials growth and optical structure fabrication with the goals of solving the critical bottleneck of scalable quantum network nodes. The research team will characterize the optical and spin performance of these structures, thus clearing the way for scalable quantum networks. The education plan will include undergraduate and graduate research, recruitment of female and under-represented engineering students, and course development. 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.