Published in the Research School of Physics Event Horizon
Vol45 Issue2 13–17 January 2020

Quantum Characterization of Intermediate Scale Systems (QCISS)

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=323083

Summary: The U.S. Army Research Office (ARO) in partnership with the National Security Agency (NSA) is soliciting proposals for research in Quantum Characterization of Intermediate Scale Systems (QCISS). The goal of the BAA is to develop efficient and practical protocols and techniques that allow Quantum Characterization, Verification, and Validation (QCVV) of larger systems with direct relevance to Fault Tolerant Quantum Computing (FTQC), and to demonstrate these protocols on intermediate-scale systems. In this BAA, intermediate-scale refers to systems of size 10-20 qubits and larger systems greater than 20 qubits. Proposals are sought to develop reliable, efficient, and scalable protocols for evaluating intermediate-scale quantum systems and selectively characterizing only the subset of information relevant to FTQC. These new methods are sought as the next advances that will empower the quantum computing community to reliably interpret and evaluate emerging larger-scale quantum systems, and not merely a continuation of work applicable to one or two-qubit QCVV. The program success criterion is to identify the subset of information needed to characterize, verify, and validate a system’s behavior relevant for FTQC and create a suite of procedures for measuring that information.

Areas of Interest:

• Category 1: Integrated theoretical and experimental intermediate-scale QCVV
• Category 2: Novel theoretical approaches to intermediate-scale QCVV

Eligibility:

Eligible applicants under this BAA include Institutions of higher education (foreign and domestic), nonprofit organizations, and for-profit concerns (large and small businesses).

Funding:

• Category 1: Multiple four-year awards are anticipated. Proposals are expected to request less than $1.5M per year.
• Category 2: Multiple four-year awards are anticipated. Proposals are expected to request less than $700K per year. Theory only proposals are expected to request less than $400K per year.

Deadlines: White Papers are due January 28, 2020, and Full Proposals are due 17 March, 2020

Notification of Intent to Apply:

Refer to College Guidelines on Applying for Funding for the approvals process. Contact College Research Office four weeks prior to deadline (or ASAP thereafter) if you intend to apply.