The funding has been awarded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the US National Science Foundation (NSF) through a new joint programme to support eight collaborative US-UK research projects at the interface of Quantum Information Science and Chemistry.
Of these projects, two are Bristol led — strengthening Bristol’s role as a centre of excellence in quantum technologies.
Work supported by these grants is expected to contribute to quantum-enabled chemical simulation, enhanced control over chemical reactivity, and new methods to optically manipulate and control the electron spin in single organic molecules.
Dr Tom Oliver, Associate Professor in the School of Chemistry has secured £1.2 million with his US collaborator Professor Stephen Bradforth from the University of Southern California. Together, they will explore how the rules of quantum mechanics, which govern the behaviour of tiny particles such as electrons, shape key chemical reactions.
Many vital transformations are triggered by light, including those responsible for protein damage, solar energy capture, and the formation of new drug molecules. The outcomes, however, cannot be explained using traditional rules. Oliver and Bradforth will explore how quantum entanglement- the manner in which the properties of electrons remain linked even when separated- is instead responsible.
Using novel laser-based experiments, the team will observe how pairs of electrons become entangled and evolve over just quadrillionths of a second. By watching how light imprints a quantum state onto molecules, they aim to uncover how these fleeting quantum effects determine the final outcome of chemical reactions.
This deeper understanding of how light controls chemical reactions will pave the way for new drug molecules, develop more efficient catalysts, and cleaner chemical processes.
Dr Alex Clark, Associate Professor in the School of Physics and Director of the Quantum Engineering Laboratories, has secured £1 million to work with US collaborators Dr Jonathan Hood and Professor Libai Huang (Purdue University).
Their project aims to isolate the excited triplet states in organic molecules to explore their use as quantum memories that can store quantum states of light and spin-photon interfaces that can create entangled photons – particles of light.
Devices combining these molecules with integrated photonics – optical structures that guide and confine light – will enable multiple new functionalities in quantum-enhanced technologies. These include the distribution of entanglement across long distances which will enable an ultra-secure internet and the development of new nanoscale sensors for medical and environmental monitoring applications. Alongside these applications, their ability to generate entangled photons lays the foundations for optical quantum computing schemes that have the potential to vastly outperform current supercomputers.
The EPSRC-National Science Foundation (NSF) funding call is part of a broader effort to deepen transatlantic ties in quantum research, under the umbrella of the UK-US Technology Prosperity Deal and allied initiatives.
Jane Nicholson, Executive Director for Research at EPSRC, said: “This joint EPSRC-NSF investment in Quantum Information Science (QIS) in Chemistry represents UKRI commitments towards exploring compelling scientific frontiers and working with international partners. These programmes will open new pathways for transformative science and the quantum technologies of the generation yet to come.”
Brian Stone, acting National Science Foundation director, said: “By supporting bold, collaborative science, this partnership lays the foundation for advances that can transform everyday life. These projects demonstrate the power of shared investment in tackling real-world challenges, from more powerful computing to next-generation navigation and sensing tools.”
Michael Kratsios, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director, added: “Through a dynamic partnership, the U.S. National Science Foundation and UKRI are uniting top researchers to unravel the mysteries of quantum in chemical systems. Building upon the US-UK Technology Prosperity Deal, this visionary partnership will reshape our knowledge of quantum mechanics and open new frontiers in quantum computing, sensing and communicating.”