The funding supports the acquisition of a state-of-the-art transmission electron microscope to accelerate research in quantum information science.
As a direct result of Congressional support, the °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ is receiving $1.25 million to obtain and install a new advanced multipurpose transmission electron microscope as part of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill. The new instrument will replace the Universityās current instrument, which is beyond its expected lifetime, and enhance the ability of researchers in the greater Rochester area and beyond to conduct advanced quantum research.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is essential for Rochesterās research efforts in established areas of strength, including quantum information science (QIS); materials science; high-energy-density science; optics, photonics, and imaging; and immersive technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality.
The new transmission electron microscopeās atomic-scale resolution accurately characterizes samples and fabricated devices, enabling researchers to visualize material structures directly in real space with exceptionally high resolution. This capability is vital for studying quantum materials and devices, including qubits, quantum gates, and quantum sensors.
Stephen Dewhurst, the vice president for research at the University, says, āThe acquisition of this advanced electron microscope is a game-changer for our research enterprise, especially in the areas of quantum science and advanced semiconductor research, which are critical not only to the University, but also to our national security and scientific pre-eminence.ā
Recognizing the Congressional delegationās efforts on behalf of Rochester, Dewhurst adds, āWe are very grateful to Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Representative Morelle for their incredible ongoing support and for this new funding. It will support our current projects while attracting top talent to the University, enhancing our collaborations with industry, and contributing to the regionās economic growth.ā
The regionās cutting-edge transmission electron microscope facility
The new transmission electron microscope will be housed at URnano, the Universityās Integrated Nanosystems Center, which serves as a user facility for the University community, industry, corporations, faculty, and students at other institutions. The location ensures that the equipment will be a key regional asset for advanced research and development, supporting the growth of the QIS and optics, photonics, and lasers sectors in the greater Rochester and Finger Lakes regions.
āThe opportunity to bring a state-of-the-art electron microscope to URnano, to the University of Rochester, and to the Rochester area will accelerate our work on quantum and nanotechnologies, as well as our training of the next-generation workforce,ā says URnano director and physics professor . āURnanoās users are students and faculty of the University, as well as neighboring universities and colleges, and our industrial partners. The new microscope will be used by these scientists not only to develop quantum devices and semiconductor electronic devices, but also in work on optics, biomedicine, geology, chemistry, semiconductors, and more. Many of our research programs will be effectively āturbo-chargedā by this new capability.ā
The acquisition of the new equipment will position URnano as a cutting-edge electron microscope facility, according to John Tarduno, the dean for research for the Universityās School of Arts & Sciences and Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences.
āIām thrilled by the Congressional support,ā Tarduno says. āThis instrumentation is especially timely because it will afford faculty and students the ability to further exploreāon an atomic scaleāthe behavior of materials key for quantum technologies, a critical research area today and one in which University faculty have been pioneers.ā
Rochesterās fundamental contributions to quantum information science
As the birthplace of quantum optics and key elements of quantum coherence, the University of Rochester has a long and distinguished history of fundamental contributions to quantum information science and engineering.
Pioneers and luminaries with Rochester connections span the decades. Physics professor founded the branch of physics known as quantum optics and was the first to demonstrate photon self-interference. Emil Wolf, a longtime Rochester professor and a pioneer in optical physics, built the foundations of coherence theory; with physicist and alumnus Girish Agarwal ā69 (PhD), Wolf connected those foundations to quantum optics. Alumnus George Sudarshan ā58 (PhD) invented quantum descriptions of light, while Joseph Eberly, a professor of physics and of optics, achieved deep insights in atom-photon interaction. At Rochesterās Laboratory for Laser Energetics, GĆ©rard Mourou and Donna Strickland ā89 (PhD) made revolutionary advances in laser science that would earn them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018.
Today, there are more than a dozen different research groups at the University involved in some aspect of . Rochester continues to expand its leadership in quantum science and technology, educating tomorrowās quantum leaders, as well as making strategic partnerships with industry to rapidly grow quantum technologies. For example, the University was recently designated as one of six new NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites to provide undergraduate students with hands-on research opportunities in STEM priority areas related to semiconductors.
The new federal funding for the transmission electron microscope deepens the Universityās commitment to expanding its QIS research capacity, which includes a 10-year initiative to increase the Institute of Optics faculty by 50 percent, reinforcing the instituteās preeminent position in quantum optics. This commitment aligns with , and with strategic federal research policies, including the and the .
Congressional support bolsters advanced quantum research
Government officials expressed their enthusiasm and support for the new TEM funding:
US Senator Charles Schumer: āIām thrilled to have delivered this critical $1.25 million in funding that will lift URnano, the Universityās Integrated Nanosystems Center, to new heights. By bringing this new state-of-the-art electron microscope to Rochester, URnano will be an epicenter of innovation to drive new breakthroughs in making semiconductor and quantum devices. This will also leverage the investments made possible by my Chips and Science Act that are now transforming Upstate and the Finger Lakes region into a semiconductor manufacturing and research hub while pushing Rochesterās leadership in optics technology into leading edge fields like quantum optics.ā
US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: āThe °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ is recognized as a leader in quantum research, and through the acquisition of an electron microscope at URnano, the U of R can continue to serve as a strong R&D asset in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region for faculty, students, and industry partners alike. Iām proud to have secured the funding for this research equipment through the congressionally directed spending process, and I look forward to seeing the results of the Universityās groundbreaking and exploratory research across many scientific disciplines come into focus.ā
Congressman Joe Morelle: āThe °µĶų³Ō¹Ļās Integrated Nanosystems Center (URNano) is a state-of-the-art facility helping to advance Rochesterās position as a leader in nanotechnology research and development. As a part of the Community Project Funding process, Iām proud to have secured $1.25 million to assist URnano in purchasing new quantum research equipment, which will help further their prestigious position in this field. Iām grateful for the U of Rās continued commitment to pushing the envelope and exploring new areas of science, and I look forward to seeing all the scientific breakthroughs that result from this investment.ā
