ExpandQISE: Track 1: Demonstration of distributed quantum sensing with Heisenberg scaling by creating multipartite entanglement among eight nodes on a commercial quantum network

Non-technical Abstract: The project aims to establish a comprehensive Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). Focusing on research, education, workforce development, and community participation in quantum technologies, the project partners with Texas A&M University (TAMU) to investigate a novel theoretical and experimental scheme for demonstrating distributed quantum sensing on a metropolitan-scale fiber-optic quantum network in downtown Chattanooga. The research focuses on creating and distributing multi-photon entangled states across multiple distant nodes on the quantum network and demonstrating distributed quantum sensing with Heisenberg scaling with the number of involved nodes on the network. In collaboration with several industry partners, UTC has established a Quantum Node Lab connected to the world’s first software-reconfigurable commercial quantum network, powered by Qubitekk, Inc., and deployed by the Electric Power Board (EPB) of Chattanooga. This lab serves as the testbed for the project on the deployed fiber network infrastructure. This cross-sector interdisciplinary collaboration among UTC, TAMU, Qubitekk, and EPB significantly expands UTC’s QISE research capacity and broadens surrounding communities’ participation in QISE. The research findings and results are in turn used to enhance experiential learning experience for students enrolled in the newly launched QISE certificate program at UTC, developed for upskilling technology professionals in surrounding communities. Additionally, PI Li is part of an ongoing NSF ExLENT project to establish an inter-institutional QISE curriculum in the Southeastern US. This ExpandQISE project naturally feeds into the ExLENT effort by offering experiential training to the next generation of QISE professionals to meet the increasing regional demand for quantum talents. Technical Abstract: Most current experimental quantum sensing demonstrations are limited to measuring physical quantities at a single location or distributed sensing of multiple physical quantities within a controlled lab environment. There is no concrete manifestation of distributed quantum sensing on a deployed commercial network infrastructure thus far. The objective of this project is thus to bridge the gap between proof-of-concept in-lab demonstration and practical real-world implementation. Specifically, the project aims to experimentally demonstrate distributed quantum sensing with Heisenberg-scaling among 8 distant nodes on a deployed metropolitan-scale fiber-optic commercial network infrastructure. Theoretically, the project utilizes both Fisher information matrix (FIM) and quantum Fisher information matrix (QFIM) to provide feasible measurement procedure for attaining Heisenberg scaling with coincidence photon counting. Experimentally, the project creates, characterizes, and distributes a 4-photon entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state across 8 distant nodes on the deployed commercial quantum network, and demonstrates distributed quantum sensing with Heisenberg scaling via measurements of 8 unknown local phases in the 8 nodes. This project serves as an excellent example of advancing quantum information science and engineering (QISE) across both academia and the private sector. 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.