The University of Michigan is leading a £7 million ($9 million) project to use quantum entanglement to push the boundaries of sensor networks.
To reshape the fields of telecommunications and precision measurement, a new multi-institutional research project has been initiated to investigate the basic limits of distributed entangled quantum sensing. Professor Zheshen Zhang of the University of Michigan (U-M) Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering led the $9 million (£7 million) five-year award. This initiative is part of the US Office of Naval Research (ONR) Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) to provide the groundwork for quantum technology.
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Sensor Networks’ universality
Modern life is already heavily reliant on sensor networks. These systems can range from basic home security systems that listen for movement or the sound of glass breaking to complex, worldwide arrays of seismological and geophysical sensors that track earthquake activity all over the world. Current sensor networks are constrained by traditional physical limitations, despite their widespread use. By utilizing the special characteristics of quantum physics, the MURI project, “Discrete and Continuous-Variable Distributed Entangled Quantum Sensing: Foundation, Building Blocks, and Testbeds (DISCO-DEQS),” aims to get beyond these constraints.
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Power of Entanglement
Quantum entanglement, the phenomenon where two particles become intrinsically linked by their quantum states, lies at the heart of this study. No matter how far apart two particles are in this condition, measuring one particle’s characteristics instantly reveals information about the other. According to Professor Zhang, performance can be greatly increased by using entanglement to link different sensors in a network.
In recent years, Zhang’s team has undertaken research that shows entanglement enables a sensor network to attain better resolution, enabling the detection of much finer features. Additionally, these networks have a higher signal-to-noise ratio and greater sensitivity while taking measurements far more quickly than traditional systems.
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How to Get Past the Standard Quantum Limit
Finding and then exceeding the “standard quantum limit” is one of the main goals of the DISCO-DEQS project. This phrase describes the basic physical upper limit on measurement bandwidth and sensitivity that can be reached without entanglement.
Professor Zhang’s group believes they may overcome this traditional obstacle by combining entanglement with error correction and stabilizing techniques. The improvement in entangled quantum sensors could be quadratic or even more extensive if it is successful. To improve device performance even more, the group intends to incorporate these discoveries into the design of upcoming quantum computing and networking resources.
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The Role of Control Theory and Feedback
Control theory will be incorporated into the project to optimize the system’s methodology after the fundamental foundation for the quantum sensing network has been constructed. Peter Seiler, a professor of ECE, is in charge of this part of the study. He will concentrate on improving the sensors’ data analysis and determining the optimal number of sensors needed.
Professor Seiler offers the following useful comparison to highlight the significance of feedback in this situation:
Feedback on how sensors function can be utilized to enhance the sensing technique. An automobile’s cruise control system is an example of this; you measure your speed, compare it to your desired speed, and then adjust the engine’s throttle to move more or less quickly. Similar concepts might be applied here to enhance these entangled quantum sensors’ sensing capability.
Real-World Uses: Quantum Internet and GPS
This discovery has far-reaching consequences outside of the lab. The DISCO-DEQS project’s core discoveries are anticipated to result in a number of game-changing technologies:
- Inertial Sensors: Creating high-precision sensors to track objects in settings where GPS is unreliable or prohibited.
- Quantum Internet: Promoting the creation of a quick and safe “quantum internet” for telecoms.
- Improved Resolution: Measurements for worldwide monitoring systems are quicker and more accurate.
The study will use customized experimental testbeds at Princeton University and the University of Michigan to measure both discrete and continuous variables using a variety of quantum platforms.
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A Multidisciplinary Collaboration
A multidisciplinary approach, which brought together experts from diverse institutions and fields, made the MURI strategy successful. The project needs great cooperation, according to Professor Seiler, to bring together relevant competence.
Several well-known co-Principal Investigators are part of the DISCO-DEQS team:
- Saikat Guha and Alexey Gorshkov from the University of Maryland.
- Liang Jiang, from the University of Chicago.
- Jeff Thompson from Princeton University.
- Dalziel Wilson of the University of Arizona.
- Zhang, Quntao (University of Southern California).
This enormous research project is the result of several years of preparatory work supported by the Office of Naval Research, which enabled Professor Zhang’s team to obtain the crucial information needed to be awarded this $9 million grant. The initiative claims to put these quantum technologies into a larger framework as it advances over the next five years, potentially revolutionizing global communication and measurement.
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