University of Nebraska News
In the quickly changing field of high-tech research, quantum computers are often heralded as the supercharged engines of a new era computational powerhouses that can solve complicated problems that are still completely unsolvable for even the most sophisticated conventional supercomputers available today. The shift from isolated laboratory accomplishments to a working, worldwide infrastructure, however, has long been halted by a major “catch”: these sophisticated devices are still unable to readily interact with one another over great distances.
This bottleneck is being removed by Yanan (Laura) Wang, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Wang is creating the crucial “bridge” needed to link disparate quantum processors into a coherent, fast network using a coveted five-year, $876,663 Early Career Research Program award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
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The Missing Transmission Lines
“It’s like building a network of high-capacity power plants without the transmission lines needed to connect them into a grid” is Wang’s striking metaphor for the situation of the industry today. Even while industry titans like Google and IBM have made significant progress in creating separate quantum processing units, these systems are still isolated islands.
The fundamental engineering obstacle known as frequency mismatch is at the heart of the issue. Today’s industry leaders have built quantum processors that use microwave frequency signals to function. On the other hand, light at optical frequencies frequencies hundreds of thousands of times higher than those utilized for computation is necessary for the quantum communication systems needed to connect these processors over great distances.
Data cannot just be transferred between the communication and calculation units since they “speak” at such radically different frequencies. A true quantum network the quantum counterpart of the internet remains unattainable in the absence of a method to translate these messages.
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Engineering the Quantum Bridge
The goal of Wang’s research, which is scheduled to continue until August 2030, is to develop high-performance “quantum grade” mechanical resonators and waveguides. To enable smooth information flow, these specialized devices are made to act as an intermediary, interacting with both optical and microwave signals at the same time.
Van der Waals-layered crystals are a novel family of materials that hold the key to constructing these bridges. Graphene and other atomically thin semiconductors with special physical characteristics belong to this category. Graphene crystals, with their atomically thin structure and strong in-plane covalent bonds, are ideal for building high-performance mechanical devices in the quantum realm. Wang explains that graphene’s carbon structure is similar to diamond’s.
These crystals can be peeled down to a single atomic layer while maintaining “exceptional strength,” making them the perfect candidate for high-performance mechanical devices in the quantum realm. The materials can operate in integrated quantum photonic-phononic circuits because of their intrinsic strength and thinness. These circuits serve as the much-needed connectors between quantum processors and the communication lines that will convey their data since they are made for coherent information processing and quantum signal routing.
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A Turning Point for Computing
Wang’s research has far-reaching effects outside of the lab. She compares the emergence of the classical internet to the current stage of quantum technology, which she sees as a historical turning point.
“It’s a natural transition from the classical (system) to the quantum system, but it’s similar to how things were for personal computer users in the 1990s when the internet started to become more widely used,” Wang stated. Every aspect of civilization was altered during that time by the shift from standalone PCs to a networked environment. According to Wang, the same “bridging” requirement is currently facing the quantum domain.
Even while the commercial systems available today are outstanding, their concentration is still limited to improving the individual computer rather than the network. Wang’s team hopes to advance the industry toward scalable quantum networks by resolving the frequency mismatch.
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Nebraska at the Forefront
The University of Nebraska Lincoln is positioned as a key hub for the next era of computing with the DOE funding, which is one of the organization’s most competitive initiatives. Wang believes that the “superhighways” of the future are achievable with Nebraska’s experience.
The investigation of nonclassical states in phononic and optomechanical devices continues to be the main emphasis of the research as it moves closer to its 2030 target. If these “bridges” are successful, they will serve as the fundamental “transmission lines” for a worldwide grid of quantum power in addition to connecting IBM and Google’s processors.
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