NIST Programs and Vision in 

Quantum Information Science

CARL J. WILLIAMS

Acting Director

Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML)

National Institute of Standards and Technology

June 5, 2018

carl.williams@nist.gov
Quantum Information Science in a Nutshell

Quantum information science (QIS) exploits unique quantum properties such as 

coherence, superposition, entanglement, and squeezing to acquire, transmit, and 

process information in ways that greatly exceed existing capabilities.

QIS is a field of scientific inquiry in its own right, with applications in:

• sensing and metrology: precision navigation, timekeeping, magnetic fields, ...

• communication: secure data transmission and storage, random number generation, ...

• simulation: complex materials, molecular dynamics, QCD, ...

• computing: cryptanalysis, quantum chemistry, optimization, quantum field theory, ...

and robust intellectual connections to numerous areas of basic research.

NIST program currently focuses on QIS but our activities already include aspects of 

quantum engineering which must grow!

NIST’s QIS 

Program 

covers all 

of this
NIST Laboratories and User Facilities

Associate Director for 

Laboratory Programs

Special Programs Office

Forensics Standards

National Security Standards

Standards Coordination Office

Standards Services Group

NIST Quality Manager

NIST Center

for Neutron 

Research

Engineering 

Laboratory

Information 

Technology 

Laboratory

Physical

Measurement 

Laboratory

Material

Measurement

Laboratory

Center for 

Nanoscale

Science and 

Technology

Communication

Technology 

Laboratory 

Driving innovation through 

Measurement Science

and Standards

Metrology Laboratories

Accelerating the adoption and deployment

of advanced technology solutions

Technology Laboratories

Providing world class, unique,

cutting-edge research facilities

National User Facilities

QIS QIS QIS QIS
History of QIS at NIST 

• 1992 Wineland suggests spin squeezing for improved sensitivity of clocks

• 1993 Competence project initiated to support idea

• 1994 First Workshop ever focused on QI held at NIST, Gaithersburg (August 94)

• 1994 NIST starts exploring use of correlated photons for absolute detector calibration

• 1995 Cirac and Zoller propose gate based on ion traps

• 1995 Wineland and Monroe implement first quantum gate

• 2000 NIST QI Program established

• 2000 First NIST Quantum Computing Competence 

• 2001 DARPA supports Quantum Communication effort 

• 2003 NIST QI Program broadened

• 2003 NIST holds first Single Photon Workshop

• 2005 First NIST Initiative for QI is funded 

• 2006 Joint Quantum Institute established

• 2012 Wineland wins Nobel Prize for research in support of QIS

• 2104 Joint Center for Quantum Information in Computer Science (QuICS) is established
NIST Activities in QIS

• Quantum Communication:

– Physical limitations of quantum communication

– Random number beacons/generation

– Improved single photon and entangled sources

– Improved detectors - both high QE and commercially viable

– Quantum State Discrimination and Optimal Receivers

• Quantum Computation and Simulations

– Quantum Computing efforts include – Ions, atoms, JJs, Si SETs, P:Si

– Focus on improved quantum coherence through better trap technology and 

improved materials

– Benchmarking and characterization of gates

– Simulation of iconic condensed matter systems

• Quantum Transduction: Transforming and moving quantum information
• Quantum Information Theory and Algorithms

– Quantum resistant (post-quantum) cryptography

– Power of quantum computation algorithms, complexity

– Randomized Benchmarking of Gates

– Quantum Tomography by compressed sensing

– Understanding what QI says about physics, QM, and the universe

– Exploration of quantum one-time programs

• Quantum Sensors and Quantum Based Measurements

– Quantum Logic and Entanglement Based Clocks

– Super-resolution imaging

– Quantum limited physical sensors

– Absolute optical calibration based on photon counting

– Low noise amplifiers and parametric amplifiers beyond the SQL

– Improved magnetometry, gravimetry, ...

NIST Activities in QIS (2)
Quantum Information Theory

Algorithms,

Complexity Theory Applications

“Hardware”

Characterization, 

Benchmarking

Characterization / benchmark physical realizations of QI processing

Demos: state preparation, error correction, gate operations, transduction

Quantum state characterization (tomography)

Analysis of Bell inequality measurements

Randomized benchmarking

Quantum algorithms and complexity

Quantum algorithms for quantum field theory

Adiabatic quantum algorithms

Quantum reinforcement learning

Applications

One-time programs/memories based on the isolated qubit model

Random number generation based on Bell inequality violation

Quantum cryptography (key distribution and post-quantum cryptography)

This is 

largely 

joint with 

PML

– with PML

– with PML
Quantum Information Science at NIST

Quantum

Transduction

We must realize efficient 

transfer of information 

between quanta of 

different types. Shown 

here: an optical cavity 

coupled to a vibrating, 

mechanical membrane.

Complex

Quantum Systems

We must develop tools for 

understanding, controlling, 

and measuring complex 

quantum systems. Shown 

here: a photonic chip with 

ring resonators provides 

topologically robust 

transport of photons.

Small

Quantum Systems

Small quantum systems 

will be improved sensors 

and better standards. 

Shown here: a chip-scale 

atomic magnetometer.

Quantum Materials and

Solid State Qubits

Solid state realizations of 

qubits are promising for 

mass production, though 

additional research is 

required. Shown here: a 

Josephson junction qubit.
Future QIS Activities at NIST

• Quantum Engineering: Create the foundation for this new engineering 

discipline through centers, a QIS Consortium, engagement with external 

partners, and other venues to support innovation and competitiveness;

• Quantum Metrology: Create the metrological foundations essential to the 

future application of technology arising from quantum information science 

and engineering both for innovation and for future measurement science; 

• Quantum SI : Expand the foundations for the more ubiquitous 

dissemination of measurement standards based on this technology, 

whether at a primary calibration laboratory, on a manufacturing floor, in an 

airplane, or out in the real world.*

*Quantum SI was discussed at the October 2017 VCAT so the focus here is on 

quantum engineering and metrology
NIST Hardware Activities supporting QC

• Hardware efforts include atoms, ions, photons, Josephson Junctions, 

and P- and B- doped Si

• Current pushes include (the first 4 are FY18 pushes):

– Strengthen NIST leadership in Quantum Information Theory (with ITL)

– Accelerate the Atom-based Devices for Solid State Quantum Computing

– Create the Metrology for Superconducting Quantum Devices for Quantum 

Computing 

– Develop and Characterize Highly Efficient Components for use in Quantum 

Information Processing with Photons 

– Accelerate metrology in support of Ion Trap Quantum Computing
Metrology, Materials and Engineering for 

Single Atom Devices
• Scalable solid state architectures for silicon QI 

– Control quantum state of individual electrons

– Materials that preserve the quantum state of electrons 

• Atom technology for ultimately scaled Si electronics

– Single and few atom transistors

– Atomically abrupt tunnel junctions

• New materials with designer electronic and optical properties

• Atom technology for embedded on-chip metrology

– Frequency standards/atomic clocks

– Charge pumps/current standards

• Quantum simulations and experiments on quantum entanglement with precisely defined atomic structures

Engineering atomically 

precise materials

Building the foundation to make, measure, and model atomic devices for future classical and quantum 

computing. Developing metrology to characterize few atom structures using atomically resolved scanning 

tunneling spectroscopy, aberration corrected TEM, atom probe tomography, and transport measurements. 

Single Atom Devices

Developing fundamentally new measurements of local electronic states, energy spectra, and 

electron coherence as well as methods to measure with atomic precision as devices are made.

STM Induced 

H-depassivation SPM Tip

Si overgrowth

5 μm

Atomic scale 

quantum dot with 

tunnel junctions

Building an SET for spin 

to charge conversion
Enhanced Materials for Atom-based Quantum Devices

Pure Decoherence free Si

• Isotopically enriched 28Si to 99.99998% 

Targeted enrichment

• Standards for decoherence metrology

Vacuum for solid-state devices

Si

Al

Semiconducting/

superconducting 

hybrids

Integrating different platforms 

in the same atom-based device

• Al δ-doped Si experimentally 

shown to be 2d hole gas

• Working to achieve 

superconductivity in Al 2D layer

Contacting dopant atoms 

in buried layers

Lithography 

and Pd

deposition

Pd2Si formed 

@ 250 C

• Yield > 99.9%

• Lowest resistance process known

• No impact on phosphorus pattern fidelity

BBC News - Purer-than-pure silicon 

solves problem for quantum tech

Physicists make the purest silicon ever seen, solving a 

supply problem for research into quantum computers.
Engineering for Ion Trap QC
Improved Ion Traps for QI

• Integrated Ar+ bombardment with ion trap to clean the 

C contamination

• Heating rates reduced two orders of magnitude

• Identified possible mechanisms of heating

• Built stylus trap w/Sandia to characterize different 

surfaces close to trapped ions

• Built full optics table setup w/surface analysis chamber

• Allows ions to be closer to trap for better control

• Cover of MRS Bulletin on QI, 38, 830-833 (2013)

• “100-Fold Reduction of heating rate” PRL 109, 

103001 (2013)

• Stylus trap, RSI 84, 085001 (2013)
100 μm

infidelity 1.3x10-4 per 

logic operation

Fidelity

new setup

old setup

sequence length

Colombe et al., Optics Express 22, 19783 (2014) Parity

analysis phase

single qubit laserinduced gates two qubit entangled state

~ 5 x10-3 state infidelity

UV fibers were incorporated in 

new setup for 9Be+ qubits

Reduced beam pointing instability 

and improved mode quality

Large improvement in quality of 

operations

Towards scalable high-fidelity QIP

NIST UV Fibers Aid High Fidelity Gates

Left: fiber cross section, photonic crystal air holes with 

UV light propagating in a single mode in the solid core

200 μm collapsed region

angle

cleave

Fiber recipe at http://www.nist.gov/pml/div688/grp10/index.cfm

Right: fiber tip, air holes are collapsed

• High power single mode UV fibers developed at NIST (photonic crystal fiber)

• Pure fused silica fibers, loaded with H2 at 10 MPa and cured with UV light 

• Wide band single mode (tested at 355 nm, 313 nm, 280 nm), high power (125 mW @ 313 nm), low loss (0.13 dB/m @ 313 nm)
Metrology for Future Atomic Clocks
Sr Fermi-degenerate 3D Optical Lattice Clock

Campbell et al., Science 358, 90 (2017)

Clock spectroscopy for a two-spin Fermi gas 

in the mF = ±9/2 stretched states for a 0.5 G 

magnetic field – a small fraction of the lattice 

sites contain both spin states. 

• Synchronous clock comparison between two 

regions of the 3D lattice yields a measurement 

precision of 5 × 10–19 in 1 hour of averaging time

• Red and Blue show comparisons of 1000 and 

3000 atoms in each region showing a sqrt(3) 

improvement in stability
Harness Entanglement to Reduce Quantum Noise

• Operate Al+ clock with N = 5 ions in fully entangled state: Reduced quantum noise

• Differential excitation overcomes atom/laser desynchronization

•  1x10-18 measurement precision in 1 hour! (1000x improvement)

( )

ω τ

σ τ

NT y

1

= ( )

ω τ

σ τ

N T y

1

=

High risk: differential excitation and entanglement have

never been implemented in state-of-the-art clocks!
Integrated Photonics: From the Nanofab

to Devices, Metrology and Engineering
Nanophotonics Laboratory: Kartik Srinivasan

Generating quantum states of light

Quantum Dot

Single Photon Source

Silicon Photon 

Pair Source

Quasi-phase matched waveguides

Four-wave-mixing

Quantum frequency conversion

Cavity Optomechanics

Cavity optomechanical transducers

Force/displacement 

sensors

RF/optical/mechanical 

integration

Chip-scale metrology tools

Vapor cell integration Frequency combs
Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors

Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors from NIST Boulder (V. 

Verma, R.P. Mirin, S.W. Nam) and Photon Spot (V. Anant)

www.photonspot.com

Si SPADs at 950 nm

• Det. Efficiency = 10 %

• Timing jitter = 100 ps

SNSPDs at 950 nm

• Det. Efficiency > 80 %

• Timing jitter = 120 ps
Discussion
QIS Consortium Concept: Q. Engineering

An organization to allow broad interaction between academia, industry, national 

laboratories and government agencies.

QIS consortium primary objectives:

• Provide technology forecasting and identify gaps within the QIS ecosystem, including 

providing overall market guidance;

• Provide an efficient mechanism for strong public-private sector coordination;

• Identify Grand Challenges for the QIS field and explore transformative device technology;

• Identify key technologies that will enable more rapid development of the QIS field;

• Prioritize gaps, grand challenges, and key technology needs that will improve government 

investments;

• Provide a forum for joint public-private funding of relevant gaps and key technologies;

• Explore novel approaches to cooperative development and technology transfer between 

consortium members that facilitates rapid technological development;

• Identify the work force needs essential to efficient development of quantum technologies.
Questions for Discussion

What should NIST consider with regard to: 

• Is this a reasonable approach to NIST’s future activities in QIS?

• How does NIST determine the correct balance between quantum 

engineering, quantum metrology, and the quantum SI?

• What new methods for effective technology transfer of emerging quantum 

technologies should NIST explore? 

• Are there new new mechanisms and tools that lower barriers and enhance 

engagement between government, academia, and industry?

• In a larger quantum engineering effort what should be the role of centers?

• Do you have advice about a quantum consortium?