The U.S. National Science Foundation and United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) are investing in eight joint research projects that could open the door to breakthroughs in quantum computing, ultra-precise navigation and secure communications. The effort is supported by $4.7 million from NSF and £4.2 million from UKRI's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Each project brings together U.S. and U.K. researchers to tackle an underexplored area in science: how quantum information affects chemical reactions and molecular systems, and how that knowledge can be put to use.
By harnessing the inherent complexity of chemical systems, the teams aim to surpass today's quantum technologies, which primarily rely on atoms and photons. The partnership underscores the growing international momentum in quantum research, with the potential to create new and different types of molecular-based qubits and other fundamental components useful for quantum computing, quantum sensing and quantum communications.
Three of the eight teams are led by researchers at member institutions of the Chicago Quantum Exchange—University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Purdue University.
- UChicago: David Awschalom and Giulia Galli, along with their collaborators at the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom, are investigating how magnetic quantum-mechanical spin states in molecules can be efficiently measured using light. Their discoveries could enable the creation of entangled states that are currently out of reach and contribute to the advancement of quantum-enhanced sensors for understanding chemical and biological systems.
- Northwestern: Michael R. Wasielewski and Matthew D. Krzyaniak, along with their collaborators at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, are developing molecular compasses capable of sensitive detection of both the magnitude and direction of weak magnetic fields with applications in quantum sensing and quantum navigation. In addition to synthesizing and characterizing these molecular compasses for the development of quantum technology, this project will generate fundamental insights into the quantum dynamics of natural magneto-receptors, such as those found in many animal species.
- Purdue: Jonathan Hood and Libai Huang, along with their collaborator from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, are developing molecular platforms for quantum memory applications based on cryogenically cooled conjugated organic molecules. Their discoveries could establish fundamental principles that connect chemical structure to quantum memory performance, opening new avenues for chemically tailored quantum technologies.
The three awards total over $1.6 million.
Beyond technology outcomes, the projects will provide training opportunities for graduate students and early-career researchers in disciplines such as quantum optics, molecular spectroscopy and nanofabrication. They will also strengthen long-term scientific partnerships between U.S. and U.K. institutions, advancing the goals of the U.S.-U.K. Technology Prosperity Deal, which supports collaboration in quantum, artificial intelligence and other critical technologies.