As MCQST Distinguished Lecturer, Prof. Mikhail Lukin is giving a series of talks targeted to varied audiences. This public talk is designed for anybody curious about quantum science -- even complete beginners!

New Frontier of Quantum Science and Engineering

Mikhail Lukin - Harvard University

A broad effort is currently under way to build quantum machines that may be capable of outperforming the existing classical counterparts in executing useful tasks in areas ranging from computation and communication to sensing and metrology. Practical realization of such systems and exploration of their potential capabilities and limitations are among the central challenges in the new field of quantum science and engineering. In this talk, we will describe several examples of recent work towards these goals. These include realization of programmable systems composed of hundreds of quantum bits and their use for scientific applications such as studying new forms of quantum matter and solving complex computational problems, realization of quantum networks and their application to improved quantum communication, as well recent advances in quantum sensing, aimed towards magnetic resonance imaging of individual molecules and novel approaches to biomedical diagnostics. Challenges and opportunities for building large-scale quantum machines and realizing their real-world applications will be discussed.

About Mikhail Lukin

Mikhail Lukin received the Ph.D. degree from Texas A&M University in 1998. He has been on a faculty of Harvard Physics Department since 2001, where he is currently George Vasmer Leverett Professor of Physics, and a co-Director of Harvard-MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms and of Harvard Quantum Initiative in Science and Engineering. His research interests include quantum optics, quantum control of atomic and nanoscale solid-state systems, quantum metrology, nanophotonics, and quantum information science. He has co-authored over 400 technical papers and has received a number of awards, including the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, David and Lucile Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering, NSF Career Award, Adolph Lomb Medal of the Optical Society of America, AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize, APS I.I.Rabi Prize, Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics, Willis E. Lamb Award for Laser Science and Quantum Optics, Charles Hard Townes Medal, and the Norman F. Ramsey Prize. He is a fellow of the OSA, APS, and AAAS and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.