Feature Articles

QSA scientists have advanced major quantum computing technologies based on superconducting qubits, trapped ions, and neutral atoms.  These different technologies can be applied in quantum science to study fundamental phenomena and advance new materials. The scientific and technological progress in materials physics led by QSA facilitates the understanding and design of novel properties in superconductors, quantum spin liquids, magnetism, and topological materials.

At the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) researchers smash gold atoms at near-light speeds to unlock the Universe’s secrets. A Berkeley Lab-led team developed an AI algorithm to optimize ion beam intensity, boosting collision precision and pushing the boundaries of particle physics for deeper insights into atomic structure and the Universe’s origins.

With the rise of chiplets,  Berkeley Lab's John Shalf identified an opportunity to collaborate with hyperscalers—like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and others—through the Open Compute Project. This work could allow the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to leverage emerging trends in the tech industry to advance High Performance Computing (HPC).

QSA advances particle physics by facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations between partner institutions to study complex subatomic interactions, such as quark-gluon dynamics and meson collisions with novel quantum devices and approaches. QSA is breaking new ground in particle physics and promoting interdisciplinary teamwork to address critical scientific challenges.

The Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA), led by Berkeley Lab with Sandia National Laboratories as the lead partner, is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science National Quantum Information Science Research center that focuses on all three major technologies for quantum computing: superconducting circuits, trapped-ion systems, and neutral atoms. Due to this multi-institution collaboration, novel research developments in neutral atom systems are breaking new ground for quantum information processing.

Our bioproduct experts collaborated with industry to help scale-up a promising microbe-made plastic alternative built from the carbon in methane gas.

The "You Belong in Quantum" series, hosted by the Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA), highlights non-traditional career paths in quantum information science (QIS). The second virtual session on April 30 featured diverse speakers discussing their unique journeys into QIS.

Héctor García Martín, a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), is working to expedite and refine the R&D landscape of synthetic biology by applying artificial intelligence and the mathematical tools he mastered during his training as a physicist. The ability to predict biological systems using trained algorithms, combined with automated laboratories, could transform the fields of medicine, chemical manufacturing, and energy.

The Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA), recently launched the “You Belong in Quantum Series!” in collaboration with the four other U.S. Department of Energy National QIS Research Centers. The initiative’s January 2024 webinar featured distinguished leaders in the field. The new series highlights QSA’s commitment to preparing the quantum workforce ahead of World Quantum Day on April 14.