Opportunity: Quantum Sensing and Information Science

Over the past century, the quantum principles of superposition, electronic structure, and uncertainty relations gave us tremendous advances in a number of applications relevant to the military, including atomic clocks, magnetometry, positioning/navigation/timing (PNT), and gravimetry. While these areas can still be improved through technological advances, next-generation gains in sensing and in secure communications will occur through the concept of quantum identicality and quantum entanglement.

Our efforts conduct cross-cutting foundational research to exploit quantum effects for (1) novel sensors and capabilities, (2) beyond-classical sensor performance limits using entanglement, and (3) entanglement-enhanced information processing, decision-making, and security. Research emphasizes strong light-matter interfaces, including cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) and nanophotonic integration. Examples include electromagnetic field sensing using Rydberg atoms, solid-state “atomic” clocks, solid-state color centers for sensing and quantum information, nanophotonics, and building blocks of entanglement distribution (quantum memories, repeaters, hybrid interfaces, etc).