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At least 577 records · Page 32

Simulating plasma wave propagation on a superconducting quantum chip

Quantum computers may one day enable the efficient simulation of strongly coupled plasmas that lie beyond the reach of classical computation in regimes where quantum effects are important and the scale separation is large. Here, in this article, we take a first step toward efficient simulation of quantum plasmas by demonstrating linear plasma wave propagation on a superconducting quantum chip. Using high-fidelity and highly expressive device-native gates, combined with an error-mitigation technique, we simulate the scattering of laser pulses from inhomogeneous plasmas. Our approach is made feasible by the identification of a suitable local spin model whose excitations mimic plasma waves, and whose circuit implementation requires a lower gate count than other proposed approaches that would require a future fault-tolerant quantum computer. This work opens avenues to study more complicated phenomena that cannot be simulated efficiently on classical computers, such as nonlinear quantum dynamics when strongly coupled plasmas are driven out of equilibrium.

general physics↗

Optomechanical ring resonator for efficient microwave-optical frequency conversion

Phonons traveling in solid-state devices are emerging as a universal excitation for coupling different physical systems. Phonons at microwave frequencies have a similar wavelength to optical photons in solids, enabling optomechanical microwave-optical transduction of classical and quantum signals. It becomes conceivable to build optomechanical integrated circuits (OMIC) that guide both photons and phonons and interconnect photonic and phononic devices. Here, we demonstrate an OMIC including an optomechanical ring resonator (OMR), where co-resonant infrared photons and GHz phonons induce significantly enhanced interconversion. The platform is hybrid, using wide bandgap semiconductor gallium phosphide (GaP) for waveguiding and piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO) for phonon generation. The OMR features photonic and phononic quality factors of >1 × 10 5 and 3.2 × 10 3 , respectively. The optomechanical interconversion between photonic modes achieved an internal conversion efficiency $η_i$ = (2.1 ± 0.1)% and a total device efficiency $η_{tot}$ = 0.57 x 10 -6 at a low acoustic pump power of 1.6 mW. The efficient conversion in OMICs enables microwave-optical transduction for quantum information and microwave photonics applications.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Entangled two-plasmon generation in carbon nanotubes and graphene-coated wires

Here, we investigate the two-plasmon spontaneous decay of a quantum emitter near single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and graphene-coated wires (GCWs). We demonstrate efficient, enhanced generation of two-plasmon entangled states in SWCNTs due to the strong coupling between tunable guided plasmons and the quantum emitter. We predict two-plasmon emission rates more than twelve orders of magnitude higher than in free space, with average lifetimes of a few dozen nanoseconds. Given their low dimensionality, these systems could be more efficient for generating and detecting entangled plasmons in comparison to extended graphene. Indeed, we achieve a tunable spectrum of emission in GCWs, where sharp resonances occur precisely at the plasmons' minimum excitation frequencies. We show that by changing the material properties of the GCW's dielectric core, one could tailor the dominant modes and frequencies of the emitted entangled plasmons while keeping the decay rate ten orders of magnitude higher than in free space. By unveiling the unique properties of two-plasmon spontaneous emission processes in the presence of low-dimensional carbon-based nanomaterials, our findings set the basis for a novel material platform with applications to on-chip quantum information technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

First Time-Resolved Leader Spectra Associated With a Downward Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flash Detected at the Telescope Array Surface Detector

Optical emissions associated with Terrestrial Gamma ray Flashes (TGFs) have recently become important subjects in space-based and ground-based observations as they can help us understand how TGFs are produced during thunderstorms. In this paper, we present the first time-resolved leader spectra of the optical component associated with a downward TGF. The TGF was observed by the Telescope Array Surface Detector (TASD) simultaneously with other lightning detectors, including a Lightning Mapping Array (LMA), an INTerFerometer (INTF), a Fast Antenna (FA), and a spectroscopic system. The spectroscopic system recorded leader spectra at 29,900 frames per second (33.44 μs time resolution), covering a spectral range from 400 to 900 nm, with 2.1 nm per pixel. The recordings of the leader spectra began 11.7 ms before the -18 kA return stroke and at a height of 2.37 km above the ground. These spectra reveal that optical emissions of singly ionized nitrogen and oxygen occur between 167 μs before and 267 μs after the TGF detection, while optical emissions of neutrals (H I, 656 nm; N I, 744 nm, and O I, 777 nm) occur right at the moment of the detection. The time-dependent spectra reveal differences in the optical emissions of lightning leaders with and without downward TGFs.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Methods and algorithms for computer synthesis of holographic elements to obtain a complex impulse response of optical information processing systems based on modern spatial light modulators

The possibilities of designing optical devices for data processing and imaging based on the manipulation of coherent light beams by means of spatial light modulators (SLMs) are investigated. A review of commercially available SLMs is presented and the limitations of their complex modulation characteristics are analysed. The main problem of using present-day SLMs is the lack of the ability to modulate directly all states within a unit circle in the complex plane. In this regard, the characteristics of current methods for the synthesis of holographic elements are described that implement a given complex impulse response of the optical system and are optimal for using SLMs with purely amplitude, purely phase, and hybrid amplitude – phase modulation. (paper)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Scattering mechanisms in state-of-the-art GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells

Motivated by recent breakthroughs in molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells, we examine contributions to mobility and quantum mobility from various scattering mechanisms and their dependencies on the electron density. Here we find that at lower electron densities, n e ≲ 1 x 10 11 cm -2 , both transport and quantum mobility are limited by unintentional background impurities and follow a power-law dependence, ∝ n$^{α}_{e}$, with α ≈ 0.85. Our predictions for quantum mobility are in reasonable agreement with an estimate obtained from the resistivity at filling factor ν = 1/2 in a sample of Y. J. Chung et al. with n e = 1 x 10 11 cm -2 . Consideration of other scattering mechanisms indicates that interface roughness (remote donors) is likely a limiting factor of transport (quantum) mobility at higher electron densities. Future measurements of quantum mobility should yield information on the distribution of background impurities in GaAs and AlGaAs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

2020 Budget Request for the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF) Grant

The Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF) is essential for addressing the increasingly complex national workforce demands stemming from the growth of computational science and engineering challenges. Computational science and engineering (CSE) takes a multidisciplinary approach that utilizes scientific computing to tackle practical problems and provide technical tools across the spectrum of scientific discovery. The DOE CSGF specifically highlights high-performance computing (HPC) as a critical enabling technology in CSE, driving advancements in science and engineering that are vital to both the DOE and the broader economy. Over the past half-century, HPC has been an essential tool for DOE’s success. During this period, important missions, such as nuclear stockpile stewardship, have turned to HPC as an essential technology. Entire science disciplines have been transformed through the augmentation of scientific observation via HPC. At government laboratories, academic institutions, and in industry, DOE CSGF alumni are helping push traditional HPC boundaries while contributing to discoveries in high-energy physics, quantum information systems, fusion-reactor design, machine learning, additive manufacturing, nano materials for next-generation batteries and transistors, and advanced nuclear reactor modeling. In addition, HPC is used to address national health needs that will eventually point to cures both by helping cancer researchers manage and analyze huge troves of data, by simulating biological mechanisms, and by accelerating drug development. A 2023 report from the ASCAC Subcommittee on American Competitiveness and Innovation to the ASCR office, “Can the United States Maintain Its Leadership in High-Performance Computing?” says of the Program, “The CSGF program provides a barometer for disciplines that will be of interest to future DOE computing. Computational biology, machine learning, and quantum computing are among the subjects that began to swell in the ranks of CSGF applicants before the labs were hiring as high a percentage of employees in these categories.” The explosion of scientific and technological data has heightened the demand for advanced high-performance computing (HPC) to transform these data into meaningful scientific insights. As access to vast amounts of data increases, the fields of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are experiencing a resurgence, enhancing the established practices of computational modeling and simulation. In its September 2020 subcommittee report on "AI/ML, Data Intensive Science, and High-Performance Computing," the DOE Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee (ASCAC) specifically called for a fellowship program to train computational and data scientists to address exascale and data-intensive computing challenges. This integration of empirical and theoretical modeling will increasingly guide federal policymakers in making decisions that impact American society and future generations. It demands a workforce of highly skilled and intellectually agile computational scientists capable of navigating the rapid advancements in scientific computing within the DOE National Laboratory research environment. The DOE CSGF program has consistently addressed this critical need.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Transport and Imaging of Novel Phases of Moiré Quantum Matter

Moiré materials open an entirely new platform for exploring the interplay between band structure, interactions, symmetry and topology. Strong effects of interaction can result from antiferromagnetic correlations as is commonly found in high temperature superconductors. Alternatively, the effects of interactions can be strengthened by reducing the role of kinetic energy as is commonly done in quantum Hall systems. Interestingly, moiré materials are a new class of materials where both types of effects can be present simultaneously, even at zero magnetic field, leading to a plethora of new correlated topological phases. Here we plan to harness the expertise of our groups in synthesis, fabrication, and novel measurement techniques to unravel and elucidate some of the mysteries of moiré materials. Our goal in this proposal has been to deepen our understanding of correlated phases in moiré materials using a variety of experimental tool developed in the PI’s labs. We used thermodynamic probes based on local and global electrostatic sensing to provide direct information on compressibility, entropy, magnetization and topology. Revealing the fundamental principles of correlated topological matter may pave the way towards a new class of materials with superior electronic characteristics with possible application in quantum science, engineering and energy harvesting platforms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Two-Photon Spontaneous Emission in Atomically Thin Plasmonic Nanostructures

The ability to harness light-matter interactions at the few-photon level plays a pivotal role in quantum technologies. Single photons—the most elementary states of light—can be generated on demand in atomic and solid state emitters. Two-photon states are also key quantum assets, but achieving them in individual emitters is challenging because their generation rate is much slower than competing one-photon processes. We demonstrate that atomically thin plasmonic nanostructures can harness two-photon spontaneous emission, resulting in giant far field two-photon production, a wealth of resonant modes enabling tailored photonic and plasmonic entangled states, and plasmon-assisted single-photon creation orders of magnitude more efficient than standard one-photon emission. We unravel the two-photon spontaneous emission channels and show that their spectral line shapes emerge from an intricate interplay between Fano and Lorentzian resonances. Enhanced two-photon spontaneous emission in two-dimensional nanostructures paves the way to an alternative efficient source of light-matter entanglement for on-chip quantum information processing and free-space quantum communications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Simple self-consistent method for excited states in density functional theory to characterize defect-derived behavior in wide-band-gap-based microelectronic materials

This final report summarizes the results of the Laboratory Direct Research and Development (LDRD) Project Number 229740. Wide band gap semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) have features highly desirable for multiple mission electronic applications. Realization of their potential requires atomic-scale understanding of electronic behavior. The principal experimental tools for electronically probing defects in GaN are chemically undifferentiating and lack a practical theoretical counterpart needed to identify and characterize specific defects. This project investigated whether a simple idea for modeling defect excited states and their associated photoluminescence (PL) energies is viable, as a path to accelerate the understanding of defect behavior and gain valuable insights into engineering new electronic materials and devices. The research implemented a non-self-consistent total-energy evaluation of a Koopmans-type estimation of an excited electronic state energy in density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and proceeded to design, implement, and assess a self-consistent method for computing excited states based upon an OCcupation-Constrained-DFT (occ-DFT). The occ-DFT was verified in test calculations of defect excited states and validated against well-characterized PL data for 3d transition metal defects in GaN. The method proved stable and robust in computing excited states and gave accurate predictions compared to experimental PL data. The combined ground state/excited-state capability proved capable of chemically differentiating defect species in GaN. In application to 3d dopants in GaN, we reinterpreted extensive experimental literature, proposed new defects as prospective candidates for use in quantum information applications, and outlined design strategies to create and exploit these potentially useful functional defects in GaN.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Molecular Optoelectronics (Final Technical Report)

The project developed new theoretical tools for analysis of nanodevices subjected to external optical and bias driving. Traditional theoretical techniques for molecular optoelectronics are either based on kinetic schemes or utilize quasiparticle description. The former fails to account for quantum mechanics of the system-bath interface and may fail qualitatively when used in open interacting systems. The latter is inconvenient in (usual for molecular optical spectroscopy) many body states description of the system. We developed a new technique - the Hubbard nonequilibrium Green's functions method - which allows to avoid shortcomings of standard theoretical approaches. The Hubbard NEGF was applied to analysis of experimental measurements of photoinduced current and bias-induced electroluminescence in STM molecular junctions. We also demonstrated practical usefulness of the Hubbard NEGF within newly proposed universal theory of current-induced forces for nonadiabatic molecular dynamics which generalizes celebrated Head-Gordon and Tully expression for electronic friction. Finally, following latest trends in laser techniques we studied local responses (local fluxes and local noise spectroscopy) of biased junctions as a source of information not accessible by total responses (total fluxes and noises) of the system.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Complete spectroscopy in the attosecond regime

Harnessing light waveforms at attosecond time scales provides information of the structure and dynamics of matter on it's natural time scales. For this reason attosecond metrology has been at the forefront of the optical sciences for more than a decade, and it represents the latest time-domain frontier of the quantum world. Attosecond light pulses are commonly generated using higher-order harmonic generation (HHG) , a process capable of generating XUV coherent pulses. In addition to generate attosecond pulses, HHG can be used to study the structure and dynamics of atoms and molecules by analyzing the spectral content of the XUV pulses. This approach is known as HHG spectroscopy and it provides a coherent, time-dependent approach to study structure and dynamics in the quantum world. In this proposal we will generate harmonics from two optical foci produced by a system of a two-dimensional spatial light modulator (SLM) and a lens. In the far eld the train of attosecond pulses will interfere creating harmonic-dependent fringes. The position of such fringes is a direct measurement of the relative phase between the two foci and they also carry information about the quantum state of the target atom or molecule. Therefore, by measuring the amplitude and relative phase of the emitted harmonics we will have access to both, the amplitude and phase of the dipole moments of the studied target. Because the two beams are completely indistinguishable from each other up to a few millimeters from the focus, both driving pulses share the exact beam path. So far we have measured a jitter of 700 zeptoseconds with a 12.5 attosecond resolution in the delay control of the two foci. These two time scales represent some of the best time controls ever achieved to date.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Quantum Transduction with Abundant Elements for Cleaner Energy

This three-year project established a new approach to calculating crystal field coefficients for rare-earth elements in solids, especially for quantum applications such as transduction. Crystal field values of erbium doping several oxide hosts were presented. In addition stoichiometric materials, erbium oxide and cerium vanadate and phosphate, were simulated to understand their properties for quantum information. A fundamental enhancement to transduction enabled by magnon interaction was presented, along with magnon calculations in several oxide hosts and 2D materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

High-Q Superconducting Lumped-Element Resonators for Low-Mass Axion Searches

Low-frequency superconducting lumped-element resonators have recently attracted significant attention in the context of axion dark matter searches. Here we present the design and implementation of a fixed-frequency superconducting resonator operating near $250~\mathrm{kHz}$, possessing an inductor volume of $\sim 1$ liter and achieving an unloaded quality factor $Q \approx 2.1\times10^{6}$. This resonator represents a significant improvement over the state of the art and informs the design of searches for low-mass axions.

FOS: Physical sciences↗

Dynamical logical qubits in the Bacon-Shor code

The Bacon-Shor code is a quantum error correcting subsystem code composed of weight-2 check operators that admits a single logical qubit, and has distance 𝑑 on a 𝑑×𝑑 square lattice. We show that when viewed as a Floquet code, by choosing an appropriate measurement schedule of the check operators, it can additionally host several dynamical logical qubits. Specifically, we identify a period-4 measurement schedule of the check operators that preserves logical information between the instantaneous stabilizer groups. Such a schedule not only measures the usual stabilizers of the Bacon-Shor code, but also measures and promotes gauge operators of the parent subsystem code to additional temporary stabilizers that protect the dynamical logical qubits against errors. We show that the code distance of these Floquet-Bacon-Shor codes scales as Θ⁢(𝑑/√𝑘) on an 𝑛=𝑑×𝑑 lattice with 𝑘 dynamical logical qubits, along with the logical qubit of the parent subsystem code. Unlike the usual Bacon-Shor code, the Floquet-Bacon-Shor code family introduced here can therefore saturate the subsystem bound 𝑘⁢𝑑=𝑂⁡(𝑛). Moreover, several errors are shown to be self-corrected purely by the measurement schedule itself. This work provides insights into the design space for dynamical codes and expands the known approaches for constructing Floquet codes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Witnessing Entanglement and Quantum Correlations in Condensed Matter: A Review

The detection and certification of entanglement and quantum correlations in materials is of fundamental and far-reaching importance, and has seen significant recent progress. It impacts both the understanding of the basic science of quantum many-body phenomena as well as the identification of systems suitable for novel technologies. Frameworks suitable to condensed matter that connect measurements to entanglement and coherence have been developed in the context of quantum information theory. These take the form of entanglement witnesses and quantum correlation measures. Here, the underlying theory of these quantities, their relation to condensed matter experimental techniques, and their application to real materials are comprehensively reviewed. In addition, their usage in, e.g., protocols, the relative advantages and disadvantages of witnesses and measures, and future prospects in, e.g., correlated electrons, entanglement dynamics, and entangled spectroscopic probes, are presented. Consideration is given to the interdisciplinary nature of this emerging research and substantial ongoing progress by providing an accessible and practical treatment from fundamentals to application. Particular emphasis is placed on quantities accessible to collective measurements, including by susceptibility and spectroscopic techniques. This includes the magnetic susceptibility witness, one-tangle, concurrence and two-tangle, two-site quantum discord, and quantum coherence measures such as the quantum Fisher information.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

The QICK (Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit): Readout and control for qubits and detectors

We introduce a Xilinx RF System-on-Chip (RFSoC)-based qubit controller (called the Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit, or QICK for short), which supports the direct synthesis of control pulses with carrier frequencies of up to 6 GHz. The QICK can control multiple qubits or other quantum devices. The QICK consists of a digital board hosting an RFSoC field-programmable gate array, custom firmware, and software and an optional companion custom-designed analog front-end board. We characterize the analog performance of the system as well as its digital latency, important for quantum error correction and feedback protocols. We benchmark the controller by performing standard characterizations of a transmon qubit. We achieve an average gate fidelity of ℱ avg =99.93%. All of the schematics, firmware, and software are open-source.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

PhILMs: Collaboratory on Mathematics and Physics-Informed Learning Machines for Multiscale and Multiphysics Problems

The landscape of computational science and engineering is continually evolving, with the challenge of high-dimensional regression problems standing as a significant hurdle in numerous scientific endeavors. Addressing this challenge, our research, funded by this award, has led to the development of an innovative computational framework known as Probabilistic Partition of Unity Networks (PPOU-Nets). This initiative represents a collaborative effort to harness the potential of mathematics and physics-informed machine learning in tackling multiscale and multiphysics problems prevalent in high-dimensional spaces. Through this work, we have proposed a novel methodology that seamlessly integrates adaptive dimensionality reduction and a mixture of experts model, thereby facilitating a more efficient and accurate approximation of complex functions. This research effort has not only advanced the state of computational science but also opened new avenues for exploration in quantum computing and beyond. This report outlines the motivation, methodology, key findings, and implications of our work, underscoring our contributions to the broader scientific community and the potential pathways for future research.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗