Next-generation
quantum science and engineering

Enabling the next great leap in information technology

A U.S. Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Center led by Argonne National Laboratory in partnership with SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Q-NEXT brings together 80 of the world’s leading quantum information researchers from 19 government, academic and industry organizations to realize a common vision: to enable the next great leap in information processing by realizing complex and powerful quantum systems through a center-scale effort.

Q-NEXT is demonstrating the power of entanglement for quantum information technologies

A national mission

A national mission

By harnessing entanglement, Q-NEXT is enabling the next great leap in information processing, realizing complex and powerful quantum systems and breakthroughs in quantum technologies.

Impactful scientific goals

Impactful scientific goals

Q-NEXT focuses on three interconnected scientific goals to drive the science and technology for distributing entanglement and to demonstrate real-use applications.

Center-scale approach

Center-scale approach

Connection is key both for quantum information sharing and for collaboration. Q-NEXT’s center-scale approach to research ensures both focus and agility across its 19 organizations and 80 collaborators.

National quantum foundries

National quantum foundries

The Argonne Quantum Foundry and the SLAC Superconducting Quantum Foundry provide a robust source of quantum materials, methods and processes for Q-NEXT and national quantum research.

News and features

  • September 9, 2026, News and Features

    David Awschalom wins global Breakthrough of the Year award

    David Awschalom, Q-NEXT Chief Science Officer and the Liew Family Professor of Quantum Engineering and Physics at the University of Chicago, received the prestigious Falling Walls Science Breakthrough of the Year in Physical Sciences for a pioneering body of work that broke the wall between quantum technology, molecules, and proteins. Read More

  • September 8, 2026, News and Features

    Helium lifts new quantum computing concept

    A team led by Jacob Covey, who is part of Q-NEXT and is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago, laid out a new concept that could turn helium’s light weight into the next generation of quantum computers. The design relies on helium-3, an isotope with different quantum properties than the helium-4 used to cool MRI machines and fill party balloons. Once built, the computer could use high-powered lasers as “optical tweezers” to capture and control individual atoms of helium. Read More

  • September 8, 2026, News and Features

    Researchers make materials that support quantum technology

    Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who are part of Q-NEXT are engineering material systems that support quantum technology. Chris Anderson and his team are developing materials for quantum transduction — the conversion of quantum information from one form to another. Elizabeth Goldschmidt, Daniel Shoemaker, and colleagues are developing quantum memory technology that stores quantum information for extended periods of time. Read More

In the news