University of Wisconsin–Madison
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Improving the efficiency of quantum algorithms for complex molecules
Researchers develop an algorithm to help quantum computers simulate complex molecules, reducing the memory demands of a classical preselection algorithm and helping estimate the quantum resource requirements for simulating larger chemical systems. Read More
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Meet the Winner of the 2026 ACS Photonics Young Investigator Lectureship Award
From ACS Axial: University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Mikhail Kats, the recipient of the 2026 ACS Photonics Young Investigator Award, talks about his work studying materials’ optical properties, his career, and the future of nanomaterials. Read More
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Label-free single-biomolecule detection
Tiny optical cavities that trap and enhance light are used to detect single biomolecules in a liquid without needing labels or markers. Read More
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Orchestrating the nanoscale: exploring light and matter for quantum science
As part of the Q-NEXT quantum research center, Randall Goldsmith of the University of Wisconsin–Madison studies the interplay of light and matter, harnessing it for quantum information technologies. Read More
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Quantum algorithm for complex quantum chemistry
Researchers create a quantum-classical algorithm to solve quantum chemistry problems efficiently. The LAS-USCCSD method requires up to 10 times fewer parameters than before, reducing the complexity of computations. Read More
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A new atomic magnetometer
Scientists develop a device that uses silicon-on-sapphire nanophotonics for atomic sensing, advancing the capabilities of quantum sensors. Read More
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Giulia Galli wins Joseph O. Hirschfelder Prize in Theoretical Chemistry
From the University of Chicago Giulia Galli has been named the 2024-2025 Joseph O. Hirschfelder Awardee. The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Theoretical Chemistry Institute awards the yearly prize for exceptional work in the field of theoretical chemistry. Four Nobel Prize recipients are among the Hirschfelder Prize honorees. Read More
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Observing individual molecules — label-free
Scientists develop a method for observing single-molecule interactions without using labels. The method could further our knowledge of molecular dynamics and advance quantum sensing. Read More
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Dielectric versus metal mirrors for quantum communication and sensing
Scientists simulate and measure the effects of dielectric mirrors made of thin-film layers used in optical experiments, advancing the development of devices for quantum communication and sensing Read More
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Two-qubit-operation analysis
Researchers analyze potential errors in a two-qubit setup and demonstrate that it's more resilient to experimental errors compared to previous methods, resulting in higher fidelity. Read More
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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
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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
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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
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Silicon Chip Offers New Way to Probe Quantum Materials in Strong Magnetic Fields
Scientists have created a silicon chip that can detect the electrical behavior of very small materials by using very high-frequency waves. The chip is made only from silicon and other non-superconducting materials and still performs very well when cooled from room temperature down to about 4 Kelvin. Read More
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Making quantum bits ready to use again much sooner
Scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Intel have found that a simple electrical pulse can quickly push a quantum dot qubit out of a latched state and return it to its starting condition with very high reliability. Read More
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Q-NEXT-developed open-source software receives 2026 R&D 100 award
SeQUeNCe, a free, open-source software developed by Argonne scientists with Q-NEXT support, is one of seven Argonne projects that received a 2026 R&D 100 Award. The SeQUeNCe software lets researchers test how quantum networks might work before building them. Read More
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Researchers generate spontaneous magnons that synchronize with external signals
Researchers at Argonne and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign demonstrate a method for generating stable ripples in magnetic materials called magnons. The work opens avenues for information processing in microelectronics and quantum devices. Read More
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Uncovering the hidden disorder in silicon quantum computers
From the U.S. Department of Energy: Q-NEXT researchers map the variation in materials to the atom level to scale up silicon qubits Read More
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Color centers in high-purity diamond
Researchers mapped how electron irradiation makes defects inside diamond, finding that creating more vacancies does not always produce more NV centers. Too many vacancies can form unwanted defects. This result can inform advances in quantum sensing. Read More
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Containing multitudes: SLAC scientist collaborates to create scalable qubits
At SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Q-NEXT collaborator Shannon Harvey develops quantum dots — a mass-producible type of qubit. Driven by curiosity about nature and how things work, Harvey draws on her facility for working at the nanoscale. Read More