DARPA Program Seeking New Materials for Enhanced Quantum Computing Devices

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has launched the Synthetic Quantum Nanostructures program to identify new manmade nanomaterials that can be used to develop a version of superconducting electronic devices that can operate in a higher temperature range compared to the current product.

While being used for quantum information processing or manipulation, the devices generate high heat levels and need to be cooled to -460 degrees Fahrenheit using large refrigeration units, consuming significant electrical power. The cooling requirement limits the current technology to perform robust quantum computing processes, DARPA said.

The SynQuaNon program aims to increase the device’s operating temperature to reduce the size of the refrigerator, according to Mukund Vengalattore, program manager in DARPA’s Defense Sciences Office. He said minimizing the power and cooling required will also improve other device-relevant metrics.

The success of the program in identifying novel synthetic nanomaterials can benefit other quantum applications. Such materials could enable single-photon detectors to operate at higher temperatures or faster response rates. Single-photon detectors are used for quantum computing and scientific and defense applications requiring precise detection of very dim objects, DARPA said.