Quantum sensing from the bottom up with engineered semiconductor devices. This project aims to develop electronic devices that work as sensors of electromagnetic fields, wherein genuine quantum effects are used to reach unprecedented gains in sensitivity. It combines the significance of unveiling the fundamental limits of quantum-enhanced metrology, with the convenience of doing so in potentially manufacturable semiconductor devices. The expected outcome is a novel, bottom-up understanding of ho ....Quantum sensing from the bottom up with engineered semiconductor devices. This project aims to develop electronic devices that work as sensors of electromagnetic fields, wherein genuine quantum effects are used to reach unprecedented gains in sensitivity. It combines the significance of unveiling the fundamental limits of quantum-enhanced metrology, with the convenience of doing so in potentially manufacturable semiconductor devices. The expected outcome is a novel, bottom-up understanding of how best to utilize exotic quantum states of matter and fields for metrological advantage. These results will inform the design of the next-generation of extreme quantum sensors, with potential impact ranging from fundamental physics research to applications in mining or defense.Read moreRead less
Simulating and verifying quantum circuits. This project aims to develop new theoretical and numerical tools to simulate intermediate-scale quantum computer circuits using today's existing computers. Such simulation tools are critically important to verify the performance of the next generation of quantum computing devices. Expected outcomes of this project include efficient algorithms to predict the outcomes of intermediate-scale (50 to 1000 qubit) quantum processors, and a clear identificatio ....Simulating and verifying quantum circuits. This project aims to develop new theoretical and numerical tools to simulate intermediate-scale quantum computer circuits using today's existing computers. Such simulation tools are critically important to verify the performance of the next generation of quantum computing devices. Expected outcomes of this project include efficient algorithms to predict the outcomes of intermediate-scale (50 to 1000 qubit) quantum processors, and a clear identification of the essential ingredients in a circuit that can allow for 'quantum advantage'. These tools will be used by quantum industries to benchmark quantum devices, certify their performance, and develop new efficient architectures for practical quantum computers.Read moreRead less
Harnessing genuine quantum nonlocality. This project aims to develop the science and tools behind device-independent quantum security for information networks. These gold-standard protocols rely on genuine quantum nonlocality but, to date, the strict performance requirements have been unachievable for general practical cases. Further, the theory of nonlocality in multiparty networks is almost completely undeveloped. The project’s anticipated outcomes are novel experiment and theory to bypass bar ....Harnessing genuine quantum nonlocality. This project aims to develop the science and tools behind device-independent quantum security for information networks. These gold-standard protocols rely on genuine quantum nonlocality but, to date, the strict performance requirements have been unachievable for general practical cases. Further, the theory of nonlocality in multiparty networks is almost completely undeveloped. The project’s anticipated outcomes are novel experiment and theory to bypass barriers and open up nonlocal network protocols. It is also expected to rigorously establish that a single-photon wavefunction after a beamsplitter is truly nonlocal. Likely future benefits include secure random numbers, secure distributed information technology and world-best photon sources.Read moreRead less
Pushing the digital limits in quantum simulation for advanced manufacturing. This Project aims to enhance the power of high-tech quantum simulators to meet the demands of computer-modelling intensive industries such as drug and vaccine design and new energy. Aligned to Australia’s innovation agenda and Advanced Manufacturing priority, the Project expects to maximise the performance of near- and mid-term quantum simulations using innovative quantum programming techniques related to digitisation a ....Pushing the digital limits in quantum simulation for advanced manufacturing. This Project aims to enhance the power of high-tech quantum simulators to meet the demands of computer-modelling intensive industries such as drug and vaccine design and new energy. Aligned to Australia’s innovation agenda and Advanced Manufacturing priority, the Project expects to maximise the performance of near- and mid-term quantum simulations using innovative quantum programming techniques related to digitisation and control. Expected outcomes include: better understanding of limits in industry-scale quantum computers and improved error mitigation techniques. This should generate long-term productivity increases across a range of important sectors of the Australian economy that benefit from access to more powerful computer modelling.Read moreRead less
Heisenberg-limited lasers: building the revolution. The project aims to design and build a revolutionary new type of laser based on the ground-breaking 2020 Nature Physics paper by the two Chief Investigators. The significance of this work is that it overturns 60 years of theory about the limits to laser coherence, by applying 21st century quantum theory and quantum technology to the problem. This project expects to greatly advance the theory and, by instigating a collaboration with world-leadin ....Heisenberg-limited lasers: building the revolution. The project aims to design and build a revolutionary new type of laser based on the ground-breaking 2020 Nature Physics paper by the two Chief Investigators. The significance of this work is that it overturns 60 years of theory about the limits to laser coherence, by applying 21st century quantum theory and quantum technology to the problem. This project expects to greatly advance the theory and, by instigating a collaboration with world-leading experimentalists working with superconducting quantum devices, to demonstrate a laser with coherence beyond what was thought possible. Benefits of the project should flow from the manifold applications for highly coherent radiation, including scaling up superconducting quantum computing.Read moreRead less
Outmaneuvering correlated noise in quantum computers. The project aims to characterise and control quantum machines available today. These machines overwhelmingly suffer from noise with complex structures. Thus, a key target of the project is to develop a theory to describe and manipulate complex quantum processes. The project then intends to apply this theory to commercial-grade quantum computers. This approach is anticipated to lead to a new understanding of time-correlated complex quantum pro ....Outmaneuvering correlated noise in quantum computers. The project aims to characterise and control quantum machines available today. These machines overwhelmingly suffer from noise with complex structures. Thus, a key target of the project is to develop a theory to describe and manipulate complex quantum processes. The project then intends to apply this theory to commercial-grade quantum computers. This approach is anticipated to lead to a new understanding of time-correlated complex quantum processes and develop methods to enhance the performance of today's quantum computers. Noise characterisation and mitigation should have commercial value and benefit research groups working to develop quantum technologies, both in Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less
Quantum measurement as a resource. Advanced quantum computers will use modular measurements significantly enhancing their capabilities. However, due to the noisy environment, the measurements may have nontrivial effects on the computation. Making best use of realistic (hence imperfect) measurements is a challenging problem that hinders the development of these technologies. This project, using modern tools of resource theory, aims to design optimal realistic measurement procedures for near-term ....Quantum measurement as a resource. Advanced quantum computers will use modular measurements significantly enhancing their capabilities. However, due to the noisy environment, the measurements may have nontrivial effects on the computation. Making best use of realistic (hence imperfect) measurements is a challenging problem that hinders the development of these technologies. This project, using modern tools of resource theory, aims to design optimal realistic measurement procedures for near-term noisy quantum devices. The expected outcomes of the project are refined methods to optimise quantum measurements in today's rudimentary quantum machines. This will provide a significant benefit to the Australian community, advancing the development of disruptive quantum technologies.Read moreRead less
Gravity and quantum-limited measurements with a fundamental minimum length. This project aims to investigate the effects of a fundamental minimum length on the nature of gravity and on how accurately we can make measurements in our world. The key challenge is to combine our best theories of fundamental physics to model what happens at ultra-short distances. This project will generate new knowledge at this interface by using a novel approach inspired by information theory. The expected outcomes a ....Gravity and quantum-limited measurements with a fundamental minimum length. This project aims to investigate the effects of a fundamental minimum length on the nature of gravity and on how accurately we can make measurements in our world. The key challenge is to combine our best theories of fundamental physics to model what happens at ultra-short distances. This project will generate new knowledge at this interface by using a novel approach inspired by information theory. The expected outcomes are new connections between fundamental limitations on measurements, the nature of gravitation, and ultra-small-scale quantum physics. The benefit of this work is breaking the logjam in answering the most important open question in all of physics: how to unite quantum theory and gravitation.Read moreRead less
Reaching new frontiers of quantum fields and gravity through deformations. This project aims to reach new frontiers in quantum field and gravity theories. These underpin systems ranging from semi-conductors to particle collisions and the quantum behavior of black holes. An obstacle is that these theories are notoriously hard to solve. This project proposes to tackle this longstanding problem by using new deformations, symmetries and dualities that have attracted widespread attention. Expected ou ....Reaching new frontiers of quantum fields and gravity through deformations. This project aims to reach new frontiers in quantum field and gravity theories. These underpin systems ranging from semi-conductors to particle collisions and the quantum behavior of black holes. An obstacle is that these theories are notoriously hard to solve. This project proposes to tackle this longstanding problem by using new deformations, symmetries and dualities that have attracted widespread attention. Expected outcomes will include innovative techniques that will greatly enhance and interconnect our knowledge of field theories and quantum gravity, together with new discoveries in quantum-corrected geometries. A new network of domestic and international experts will largely benefit the fields of theoretical and mathematical physics.Read moreRead less
Billiards within confocal quadrics and beyond. This project aims to analyse mathematical billiards within domains bounded by confocal conics. Mathematical billiards have applications in any situation that involves collisions and reflections, and any phenomenon that includes reflections and collisions can be modelled using mathematical billiards. This project aims to revolutionise the analysis of billiards within domains bounded by several confocal conics by exploring the relations of such billia ....Billiards within confocal quadrics and beyond. This project aims to analyse mathematical billiards within domains bounded by confocal conics. Mathematical billiards have applications in any situation that involves collisions and reflections, and any phenomenon that includes reflections and collisions can be modelled using mathematical billiards. This project aims to revolutionise the analysis of billiards within domains bounded by several confocal conics by exploring the relations of such billiards with polygonal billiards, and making research advances with the higher-dimensional generalisations within confocal quadrics and their relations with billiards within polyhedra. The project will link several significant areas of scientific work including polygonal billiards, classical integrable systems, Teichmuller spaces, and relativity theory. The project outcomes will have impact across areas of mathematics such as geometry, algebraic geometry, and dynamical systems.Read moreRead less