Quantum Information Science and Engineering: Beating the Classical Limits with Entanglement

Abstract: The 20th century has witnessed the rise of quantum mechanics and its fueled scientific and technological revolution. The humankind is now on the verge of a second quantum revolution sparked by quantum information science and engineering (QISE). Entanglement as a
quintessential quantum resource lies at the heart of QISE, giving rise to a plethora of quantum-enabled or enhanced capabilities that shift the landscape of communication, sensing, and computing. This talk will present a full-stack QISE approach building on foundational quantum
materials, to functional quantum devices, and finally toward system-level entanglement-based applications. I will describe our recent experimental advances in entanglement-based QISE, including quantum machine learning for data classification, entangled sensor networks for
precise radiofrequency and optomechanical sensing, and entanglement-assisted communication surpassing the ultimate classical capacity. Next, I will introduce two major endeavors to foster the transition from basic quantum research to near-term, widely impactful real-world quantum
technologies: the development of scalable quantum photonics materials and devices and the construction of the Interdisciplinary Quantum Information Research and Engineering (INQUIRE) testbed, a distributed infrastructure to advance convergent QISE research and
education.

Biographical sketch: Dr. Zheshen Zhang is an Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona (UA). Prior to joining UA in 2017, he was a Postdoctoral Associate and then a Research Scientist at MIT. He received his PhD degree from Georgia Tech in 2011. Dr. Zhang's research encompasses both the experimental and theoretical aspects of quantum materials, devices, and systems to enable new sensing, computing, communication, and networking capabilities. His work was recognized by an NSF CAREER Award in 2022. Dr. Zhang currently serves on the Editorial Board of Communications Physics of Nature Portfolio.