Quantum Information Science & Technology

A second revolution of quantum physics is being ushered by the increasing understanding and control of complex quantum interactions. Unprecedented levels of precision quantum measurements of time, length, electromagnetic fields, gravity and many other quantities will improve our daily lives, create new products and services, and promote security. Exquisite control of complex quantum states will lead to powerful quantum computers and quantum networks. And advanced quantum measurements will allow tabletop experiments to observe colliding black holes, illuminate dark matter, simulate exotic quantum environments, sew connections between gravity and quantum, and identify cracks in our standard model of physics. 

JILA’s Quantum Information Science & Technology (QIST) research has strong foundations in entanglement, single atom trapping, magnetism-based quantum simulators, macro quantum objects, and translation of quantum information between light and mechanical motion. JILA’s QIST research helps advance fundamental quantum science, the development of high-impact quantum technologies, and training future generations of QIST innovators.

Researchers in Quantum Information Science & Technology

Photograph of Dana Anderson Dana Z. Anderson
Focus: Quantum Sensors, Precision Measurement Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Andreas Becker Andreas Becker
Focus: Ultrafast Phenomena, Attosecond Dynamics, Coherent Control Role: Theorist
Photograph of John Bohn John Bohn
Focus: Cold Molecules, Quantum Many-body Systems Role: Theorist
Photograph of Eric Cornell. Eric Cornell
Focus: BEC, Precision Measurement, Molecules, Frequency Combs Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Daniel Dessau. Daniel Dessau
Focus: Spectroscopist studying electronic structure, magnetic structure, and phase transitions of novel materials systems Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Murray Holland Murray Holland
Focus: Quantum Optics, Cold Atoms Role: Theorist
Photograph of Agnieszka Jaron-Becker Agnieszka Jaron-Becker
Focus: Theoretical AMO, Ultrafast Laser Science Role: Theorist
Photograph of Ralph Jimenez Ralph Jimenez
Focus: Biophysics, Ultrafast Lasers, Chemical Physics, Microfluidics Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Henry Kapteyn Henry Kapteyn
Focus: Ultrafast Lasers & X-Rays, Imaging, Chemical Physics, Quantum & Optical Science, Nanoscience, Materials, Molecular Science Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Adam Kaufman. Adam Kaufman
Focus: Many-body physics, Ultracold atoms, Quantum simulation Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Konrad Lehnert. Konrad Lehnert
Focus: Quantum Nanomechanics, Microwave Quantum Optics, Mesoscopic Physics Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Heather Lewandowski Heather Lewandowski
Focus: Cold Molecules, Chemical Physics Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of David Nesbitt David Nesbitt
Focus: Chemical Physics, Biophysics, Molecular Ions Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Margaret Murnane Margaret Murnane
Focus: Ultrafast Lasers & X-Rays, Imaging, Chemical Physics, Quantum & Optical Science, Nanoscience, Materials, Molecular Science Role: Experimentalist
Markus Raschke Markus Raschke
Focus: Ultrafast Nano-optics, Chemical Physics, Nanoscience Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Cindy Regal Cindy Regal, Baur-SPIE Chair in Optical Physics and Photonics at JILA
Focus: Quantum Nanomechanics, Single Atom Trapping Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Ana Maria Rey Ana Maria Rey
Focus: Cold Atoms and Molecules, Quantum Many-body Systems, Precision Measurement, Quantum Information Role: Theorist
Photograph of Thomas Schibli Thomas Schibli
Focus: Optics and photonics through advanced functional materials, novel laser systems and measurement techniques Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of James Thompson James Thompson
Focus: Cold Atoms, Quantum Optics and Information, Precision Measurement Role: Experimentalist
Photograph of Jun Ye Jun Ye
Focus: Cold Atoms and Molecules, Frequency Combs, Ultrastable Lasers, Precision Measurement Role: Experimentalist
Shuo Sun photograph. Shuo Sun
Focus: Quantum Optics; Nanophotonics; Solid-state Quantum Information Processing Role: Experimentalist
Xun Gao photo. Xun Gao
Role: Theorist

Recent Highlights in Quantum Information Science & Technology

Pulse sequences for generating two-axis twisting rotate the spins of KRb molecules, transforming the spin exchange interactions.
Polar Molecules Dance to the Tunes of Microwaves

The interactions between quantum spins underlie some of the universe’s most interesting phenomena, such as superconductors and magnets. However, physicists have difficulty engineering controllable systems in the lab that replicate these interactions.

Now, in a recently published…

Using an extremely high-powered laser, scientists can excite the thorium-229 nucleus, which is the core of a future nuclear clock.
Moving into a Nuclear Timekeeping Domain

An international team of researchers, led by JILA and NIST Fellow and University of Colorado Boulder Physics Professor Jun Ye and his team, has made significant strides in developing a groundbreaking timekeeping device known as a nuclear clock. Their results have been published in the…

Bilayer crystals of trapped ions can be realized in devices called Penning traps, and lasers (shown in red and blue) can be used to manipulate the ions and engineer interactions between them. Such crystals may open new avenues for quantum technology applications.
A 3D Ion Magnet, the New Experimental Frontier for Quantum Information Processing

Many quantum devices, from quantum sensors to quantum computers, use ions or charged atoms trapped with electric and magnetic fields as a hardware platform to process information. 

However, current trapped-ion systems face important challenges. Most experiments are limited to one-dimensional chains or two-dimensional planes of ions…

More Research Highlights