Quantum computing

This solicitation describes an Ideas Lab focused on the Practical Fully-Connected Quantum Computer (PFCQC) challenge.  Ideas Labs are intensive meetings that bring together multiple diverse perspectives to focus on finding innovative cross-disciplinary solutions to grand challenge problems.  The ultimate aim of this Ideas Lab is to facilitate the development and operation of a practical-scale quantum computer. The aspiration is that bringing together researchers from diverse scientific backgrounds will engender fresh thinking and innovative approaches that will provide a fertile ground for new ideas on the design and fabrication of quantum devices and processors and implementation of quantum information processing algorithms. This will enable the solution of science problems that are currently beyond the reach of modern high-performance computing applications on classical computers.  U.S. researchers may submit preliminary proposals for participation in the Ideas Lab only via FastLane.  The goal is to form teams of domain scientists and engineers that will develop multidisciplinary ideas that eventually will be submitted as full proposals

The U.S. Army Research Office (ARO) in collaboration with the Laboratory for Physical Sciences (LPS) is soliciting proposals for research in two focused topic areas: (A) new and emerging qubit science and technology (NEQST) and (B) cross quantum technology systems (CQTS).

NEQST focuses on qubit systems that explore new operating regimes and environments, fundamentally new methods of fabrication, and new methods of design, control, or operation. These explorations should have in mind the development of quantum computation where the novel properties of these systems create significant advantages in coherence, fabrication, and/or qubit operation over current state-of-the-art qubits. While NEQST focuses on developing new qubit and quantum gate technologies, CQTS focuses on combining existing disparate quantum technologies to provide functionality that significantly improves the performance of, or adds capability to, any of the individual qubit types. Topics of particular interest are quantum state transfer (e.g. microwave-to-optical), novel classical control paradigms, and quantum memories. (Note: this BAA is concerned only with the circuit model of quantum computation)

In May of 2016, the Director of NSF unveiled Big Ideas, developed to answer important societal problems while building the transdisciplinary portfolio of focused fundamental research over the next decade. One of these ideas, "Quantum Leap", advances quantum technologies of the future: quantum communication, quantum computing, quantum sensors and quantum simulators. The powerful language provided by quantum mechanics almost a century ago becomes the foundation upon which to build new industries. This process, sometimes called "the second quantum revolution" is marked by the development of practical and marketable solutions for quantum technologies. This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) is intended to challenge the fundamental research community to achieve the transformative experimental realization of topological quantum computing.

The Information Directorate, High Performance Systems Branch, of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Rome Research Site, is soliciting white papers under this announcement for innovative technologies to explore and develop computational capabilities with greater sophistication, autonomy, intelligence, and assurance for addressing dynamic mission requirements imposed by Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) applications and Size Weight and Power (SWAP) constrained Air Force platforms.