The National Science Foundation has selected four teams that will receive $4 million to design an infrastructure that would expand access to hardware and software to support quantum science research.
The funding was made under the Foundation National Quantum Virtual Laboratory, or NQVL, initiative, which aims to accelerate the development of useful quantum technologies, NSF said Thursday.
“The National Quantum Virtual Laboratory is a critical bridge between basic discovery and deployment, specifically focused on turning America’s leadership in fundamental quantum science into practical technologies, products, and systems that will strengthen our nation’s competitiveness and ensure U.S. dominance in this field for decades to come,” stated Brian Stone, the agency’s chief of staff and acting director.
NQVL Design Phase Projects
The task of the selected teams is to develop shareable and networked computers accessible for experimentation from any location across the United States. NSF is also seeking a digital twin of a quantum computer for researchers to test and refine quantum algorithms.
The four design projects are as follows:
- Quantum Advantage-Class Trapped Ions System
- Quantum Computing Applications of Photonics
- Wide-Area Quantum Network to Demonstrate Quantum Advantage
- Open Stack Rydberg Atom Quantum Computing Laboratory
Each of the four teams includes members from higher education institutions, private sector organizations like NVIDIA and QuEra, and federal agencies, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Energy and NASA.
NSF will select a second cohort of teams to support the initiative in the coming months.
