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 Graeme Smith Graeme Smith
Focus: Quantum information, Quantum computing Role: Theorist
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

Recent Highlights in Quantum Information Science & Technology

Higher accuracy atomic clocks, such as the “tweezer clock” depicted here, could result from linking or “entangling” atoms in a new way through a method known as “spin squeezing,” in which one property of an atom is measured more precisely than is usually allowed in quantum mechanics by decreasing the precision in which a complementary property is measured.
New Spin-Squeezing Techniques Let Atoms Work Together for Better Quantum Measurements

Opening new possibilities for quantum sensors, atomic clocks and tests of fundamental physics, JILA researchers have developed new ways of “entangling” or interlinking the properties of large numbers of particles. In the process they have devised ways to measure large groups of atoms more accurately even in disruptive, noisy environments. …

The researchers studied the C60 molecule, also known as a bucky ball, to look at breaking its ergodicity
A New “Spin” on Ergodicity Breaking

In a recent Science paper, researchers led by JILA and NIST Fellow Jun Ye, along with collaborators JILA and NIST Fellow David Nesbitt, scientists from the University of Nevada, Reno, and Harvard University, observed novel ergodicity-breaking in C60, a highly symmetric…

The most precise measurement yet of eEDM using electrons confined within HfF+ molecular ions.
Sizing Up an Electron’s Shape

Some of the biggest questions about our universe may be solved by scientists using its tiniest particles. Since the 1960s, physicists have been looking at particle interactions to understand an observed imbalance of matter and antimatter in the universe. Much of the work has focused on interactions that violate charge and parity (CP) symmetry.…

More Research Highlights