EPSRC Network in Materials for Quantum Technologies
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Materials
Abstract
Quantum science has already enabled the global digital revolution through the development of transistors and other electronic and optical devices. We are now entering a second revolution where the quantum science of superposition and entanglement will be applied to transformative technologies for sensing, timing, navigation, communications, imaging and computing. These will impact on major industries including energy, construction, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, defence, finance, security and information technology.
Just as the digital revolution depended upon materials to create devices, e.g. semiconductor chips, optical fibres, displays, and hard disk drives, so new quantum devices also rely critically upon materials, both at the heart of the quantum system and also in the surrounding infrastructure and are often required to meet demanding environmental requirements. The UK has a world-leading national quantum technologies programme and is renowned internationally for its research on materials science and engineering. Now the UK needs to bring these two strengths together to deliver the underpinning materials platforms for future quantum technologies and ensure that it remains at the forefront of this second quantum revolution.
This EPSRC Materials for Quantum Network (M4QN) seeks to accelerate this process by bringing together the world-leading UK materials research community, the existing UK National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), and the developing quantum technologies industry base in a UK-wide coordinated effort. The over-riding ambition for M4QN is to ensure that the UKs leading position in QT research and development is secured for the long-term through the inclusive engagement with our leading materials science and engineering community, providing the materials solutions required for the delivery of future QTs. There is also a strong near-term ambition to capture the expertise within this community to aid the current NQTP to address current materials issues and to drive engagement between these communities in solving these.
Just as the digital revolution depended upon materials to create devices, e.g. semiconductor chips, optical fibres, displays, and hard disk drives, so new quantum devices also rely critically upon materials, both at the heart of the quantum system and also in the surrounding infrastructure and are often required to meet demanding environmental requirements. The UK has a world-leading national quantum technologies programme and is renowned internationally for its research on materials science and engineering. Now the UK needs to bring these two strengths together to deliver the underpinning materials platforms for future quantum technologies and ensure that it remains at the forefront of this second quantum revolution.
This EPSRC Materials for Quantum Network (M4QN) seeks to accelerate this process by bringing together the world-leading UK materials research community, the existing UK National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), and the developing quantum technologies industry base in a UK-wide coordinated effort. The over-riding ambition for M4QN is to ensure that the UKs leading position in QT research and development is secured for the long-term through the inclusive engagement with our leading materials science and engineering community, providing the materials solutions required for the delivery of future QTs. There is also a strong near-term ambition to capture the expertise within this community to aid the current NQTP to address current materials issues and to drive engagement between these communities in solving these.
| Description | M4QN Roadmapping Exercise |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://m4qn.org |
| Description | M4QN Spin & Topology Roadmap Workshop |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Collaboration with NPL |
| Organisation | National Physical Laboratory |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Exchange of samples and staff; materials development and characterisation |
| Collaborator Contribution | Measurement of samples and staff exchange |
| Impact | Purchase of capital research equipment by NPL and placement at UoM Funding of researcher |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Attendance at UK-US Critical Minerals Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Around 40 people drawn from US and UK economic and research sectors with interests in critical minerals came together at the invitation of the FCDO's Science Innovation Network and the US Critical Minerals Innovation Hub. A range of presentations were made over two days of activity, including a panel on 'Criticality and quantum materials' to which I was invited to introduce M4QN and its work as an example of the development of the UK quantum engagement and influencing ecosystem. The event brokered multiple new contacts and cross-network connections with immediate follow-up opportunities to be pursued. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fcdo-research-science-and-innovation_technologies-scienceandinnovatio... |
| Description | Exhibition at Innovate UK National Quantum Technology Showcase |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | M4QN was an exhibitor at this event to raise awareness of the network and broaden the membership base. More than 1500 people from across sectors attended the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| URL | https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/events/uk-national-quantum-technologies-showcase-2023/ |
| Description | International Knowledge Exchange - dr Chris Downing, Exeter to Dr. Yannis Kominis, National Technical university of Athens |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The International Knowledge Exchange Award enables UK researchers from the M4Q community to visit a lab abroad and share/gain expertise and create a connection in an area that benefits the Network. Their complementary backgrounds and experiences allowed Charles to provide input around the quantum aspects of the scientific discussions, while Yannis supplied expert knowledge of photonics and nonlinear systems. This harmonizing quickly led to the generation of several research ideas of mutual interest within nonlinear quantum photonics, where each party could contribute due to their specific expertise. In particular, it is hoped that this nascent collaboration can be made stronger in the oncoming years thanks to joint publications, projects and the fluid exchange of people and information. At a wider scale, the overall UK materials and quantum communities benefit from a new link being forged with one of the best technical universities in Europe (the National Technical University of Athens in Athens, Greece) which we expect to widen and diversify over the oncoming years thanks to the wealth of talent at NTUA and the convenient travel links between the UK and Athens. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Launch Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The inaugural national event for the Materials for Quantum Network occurred 16-17 January 2023. Over 200 members of the Network (academics, Quantum Hub leaders, PDRAs) and representatives from EPSRC came together in Manchester for the 2-day event. There were presentations and discussions on the Networks goals and planned activities in the context of challenges for M4Q in the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | M4QN Early Career Researcher Workshop 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The 2-day residential workshop provided a networking opportunity for ECRs and science and career-related sessions e.g. on time management, grant writing/fellowship proposal writing/FLF, leadership styles/techniques, IP/commercialisation. This was organised by the Early Career Researchers interest group and was oversubscribed due to popularity. Attendees gave feedback that they enjoyed the networking opportunity, left with an increased interest in broader career opportunities and were looking forward to the next event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | M4QN Horizon Scanning UK Conference for Early Career Researchers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Joint event organised by the Early Career Researchers and Materials Horizon Scanning interest groups. This two-day (midday to midday) conference was an opportunity designed to bring together early career researchers to identify the major materials challenges/opportunities for future quantum technologies. There was plenty of opportunity for networking and getting to know others in the early career community. The conference featured a series of invited research presentations from leading early-mid career researchers who work across quantum research and on a range of emerging material platforms for quantum technology, including molecular materials, semiconductors, defects in solids, two-dimensional materials, semiconducting quantum dots and cold atoms. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://sites.google.com/view/m4qn-horizon-scanning/home?authuser=0 |
| Description | M4QN Roadmap Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | M4QN brought together the quantum technologies and materials research communities to create a roadmap that identifies the challenges and future needs of quantum in the UK over the next 10 years. This was in partnership with the Henry Royce Institute and facilitated by the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM). Over 100 participants from academia, industry, and government came together to identify needs that will impact key application areas (sensing, timing, computing, etc). The roadmap - a community consultation - will provide a point to which QT stakeholders can refer and will aid in identifying funding priorities. The event increased awareness of the needs and opportunities in materials for quantum in the UK (within the context of government strategy and international initiatives). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | M4QN Scale-up and Standardisation for Photonic Quantum Technologies Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The two-day "Scale-up and Standardization for Photonic Quantum Technologies" event brought together over 70 attendees at NPL London to hear from a diverse range of speakers spanning industry, academia, metrology, funders, and standards setters. Over the event, key challenges - and opportunities - around scaling up photonic technology were discussed in the UK context, including the need for high-quality open-access facilities for start-ups, to strengthen academia-industry partnerships, to support an evolving talent pipeline and to engage with existing high-technology platforms. The discussions will be captured in an upcoming perspective article for APL Photonics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.oms-lab.org/suspqt/ |
| Description | M4QN Solid State Defects Workshop on current and future facilities access |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Ca. 30 people gathered in Oxford for the SSD interest group workshop on facilities access. Many community leaders agreed to present an overview of research centres and national facilities including the National Epitaxy Facility, the Bragg Center, the Royce Institute, the Surrey Ion Beam Center, and the Compound Semiconductor Center. the event was sponsored by IonOptika and M4QN. The discussions were lively, and one of the main take-aways was that this should be a regular occurence in order to promote coordination and address community-specific issues and forward-planning. Regularity is also key to the successful on-boarding process for early career researchers. We highlighted some short-term and long-term challenges and opportunities for the quantum community in making often heterogeneous devices by leveraging a spectrum of capabilities across the nation (and the world). Some practical take aways were the initiation of three task forces within SSD to look at (1) information synthesis on capabilities and access, (2) training and meetings organisation, (3) future capabilities/schemes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | M4QN Training and Skills Winter School |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The Training & Skills interest group delivered the first of the 'summer schools'. It brought together students from all years of their PhDs, helping to develop the community and foster lasting collaborations and connections. The programme included career talks, professional development sessions and group work sessions. The event positively impacted the development of PhDs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Plenary lecture at SPIE-Royce conference on Advanced Electronic and Photonic Materials |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The plenary lecture by Prof. Peter Haynes formally launched the Materials for Quantum Network at an international conference with an audience comprising researchers from academia and industry representatives. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://spie.org/conferences-and-exhibitions/advanced-electronic-and-photonic-materials |
| Description | Quantum Dot Day - Networking Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Quantum Dot Day brings together researchers working on quantum optics, spectroscopy, spin physics, transport, devices and applications, synthesis and growth of semiconductor quantum dots. It provided an occasion for the latest progress in quantum dot science and technology and to develop collaborations. The Semiconductor & Photonics interest group held a networking event at the conference for PDRAs from across the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://iop.eventsair.com/qdd2023/ |
| Description | Representing M4QN at RUEDI Town Hall Meeting, Quantum Materials & Processes Theme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The RUEDI facility will provide UK scientists in both academia and industry with unprecedented capabilities to investigate and understand molecular-scale dynamics in-vivo, in-situ and under operando conditions. This Town Hall meeting served to educate academics with interest in materials for quantum technologies on how this powerful characterisation technique could enable their research. Presentation given on M4QN to engage with researchers from academia and industry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.ruedi.uk/events/event/4 |
| Description | Spin & Topology Interest Group session at the Condensed Matter and Quantum Materials conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Condensed Matter and Quantum Materials 2023 conference included a symposium lead by the Spin & Topology Materials Interest Group. The event, hosted by the University of Birmingham, ran on 28th - 30th June. The symposium's line-up of speakers addressed the advances and challenges in skyrmion materials, topological insulators, spin-liquid states, superconducting quantum circuits and fractional conductance in quantum wires. Around 100 people attended the symposium and enjoyed the M4QN-sponsored "Healthy Corner" that was filled with snacks and drinks promoting a healthy lifestyle. The event was organised and led by Dr Olga Kazakova (National Physical Laboratories) and Dr Jessica Wade (Imperial College London), who received very positive feedback on how the symposium raised awareness of the Network and helped to consolidate the Spin & Topology community. Special thanks to Dr Freya Johnson (UCL) and Prof Thomas Moore (Leeds Univ). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://iop.eventsair.com/cmqm2023/ |
| Description | System Level Materials symposium at UK Semiconductors 2023 conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | System Level Materials interest group of M4QN held a meeting within the UK Semiconductors conference to discuss advances, challenges and needs in the field. ca. 50 researchers (academics, PDRAs, industry delegates) were in attendance. It was agreed that a Roadmap was needed. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://uksemiconductors.com/?page_id=11 |
| Description | Talk at NPL Quantum technologies industry event - Greater Manchester |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the University of Manchester brought together government, industry and technology leaders to understand and explore quantum technologies and how organisations can prepare and utilise this disruptive technology into strategic plans. Prof. Richard Curry gave a talk to this audience of industry leaders on M4QN and NAME Programme Grant, the expertise and capabilities therein, and how they can be connected. Raised awareness of the network and increased requests for more information with the aim of expanding our partner base. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.npl.co.uk/events/quantum-technologies-industry-manchester |