LHQS PI Johannes Pollanen has been awarded an NSF CAREER grant titled "Circuit Quantum Optics with Piezoelectric Surface Acoustic Waves". This award will expand fundamental knowledge of "quantum acoustic" systems and how they might realize new quantum technologies. The folks at the LHQS have figured out how to design, build and control hybrid systems based on superconducting quantum bits (qubits) and high-frequency surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, which enable the generation and detection of individual piezoacoustic phonons and serve as a marvelous model system for understanding the coupling between distinct quantum systems with complementary properties and functionality.

"This NSF CAREER award is the culmination of the truly wonderful experimental work by the folks in my research group,” Pollanen said. “The LHQS graduate students, postdocs and undergrad researchers are ultimately the drivers of this type of innovation and discovery. This award is a testament to their terrific creativity and hard work.”