Quantum Information Science (QIS)

Image courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory
Semiconductor quantum rings are illuminated by a laser and emitting single photons.

Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) supports fundamental research in quantum information science, computing, and networking relevant to DOE’s science and energy mission. ASCR issued its first funding opportunities in quantum information science (QIS) in FY 2017, with additional calls in subsequent years. The awards span topics including: quantum algorithms and machine learning; hybrid quantum-classical methods; hardware-aware compilers and quantum software stack; error characterization, management, and mitigation; scalable quantum networks, architectures and communication protocols; and quantum testbeds.

ASCR has held multiple workshops on quantum computing and quantum networking.  The priority research directions identified in the research community-driven workshops include:

  • Models of quantum computation
  • Efficient quantum simulations and algorithms that deliver quantum advantage
  • Benchmarking, and validation and verification of quantum algorithms
  • Software toolchains and programming environments to program and control quantum systems
  • Quantum software stack that offers resilience to noise and errors
  • Fundamental building blocks for a quantum internet
  • Hardware and protocols for scalable quantum networks
  • Quantum hardware characterization, validation, and verification

The ASCR-sponsored user facilities are collaborating on quantum efforts to better understand and prepare for how quantum information systems are anticipated to revolutionize computing.  These activities include helping researchers develop quantum algorithms, resource estimators, and benchmarks, and providing accurate quantum hardware emulators by using quantum circuit emulators running at scale on systems including Aurora at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF), Frontier at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF), and Perlmutter at the National Energy Research Supercomputing Center (NERSC).  The OLCF Quantum Computing User Program (QCUP) connects researchers to commercial quantum computing resources through vendor partners.  NERSC, through the QIS@Perlmutter program, is undertaking multiple endeavors in quantum information focused on topics related to the integration of quantum information technologies with classical high-performance computing HPC technologies. The Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) quantum network research team is advancing simulation of the quantum network and its components and developing techniques to integrate quantum networks with classical networks.

Through investments in Quantum Information Science, Computing, and Networking, ASCR accelerates scientific discovery and transforms science and energy research.

ASCR Funding

Award abstracts and information about awards made prior to FY2018 can be found here.

ASCR Workshops and Reports

Press Releases

Contacts:

Marco Fornari
Quantum Computing and Networking
[email protected]

Kaylan Perumalla
Quantum Networking and Computing
[email protected]