quantum computing phd mcgill

McGill Quantum Optics & Sensing Lab

Current Research Areas

• Diamond Quantum Optics
• Quantum Optomechanics
• Dark-Matter Mechanical Sensing
• Quantum-Limited Medical Sensing

Open Positions

Our research group is always looking for motivated students and postdocs.

• Graduate and undergraduate positions are available to experimentally-inclined students with a background in physics or engineering
• Postdoctoral positions may be available for qualified applicants in a related field

Strong preference will be given to candidates enthusiastic about fostering a supportive environment for a diversity of population and perspectives. The best science comes from our combined efforts!

Common Funding Opportunities

• NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
• NSERC Graduate Scholarships
• FRQNT Graduate Scholarships
• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

McGill University , Canada's top ranked university , is located in the centre of downtown Montréal, a vibrant, artistic, dual-language city recently named the world's best city for students . McGill's primary language is English, and one can navigate the city in French or English. The cost of living is low, and graduate students live comfortably within walking distance of campus and downtown. There also exists a large network of bicycle paths, a bike-sharing program, and a viable mass transit system including subways, trains, buses, and "drive-and-leave" electric cars (operated with the same proxy card). Even with kids, we have not needed a car since we arrived, which is awesome. McGill, the Physics Department, and the Province of Québec work together to provide family-friendly policies for graduate students and postdocs.

Publications

• An optically defined phononic crystal defect T. J. Clark, S. Bernard, J. Ma, V. Dumont, J. C. Sankey arXiv:2403.08510  (2024)
• Radiation hardness of open Fabry-Pérot microcavities F. C. Rodrigues-Machado, E. Janitz, S. Bernard, H. Bekerat, M. McEwen, J. Renaud, S. A. Enger, L. Childress, and J. C. Sankey Optics Express 32 , 10, 17189  |  arXiv:2404.08787 (2024)
• HeLIOS: The Superfluid Helium Ultralight Dark Matter Detector M. Hirschel, V. Vadakkumbatt, N. P. Baker, F. M. Schweizer, J. C. Sankey, S. Singh, J. P. Davis Phys. Rev. D 109 , 095011 |  arXiv:2309.07995 (2023)
• High-Power Quantum-Limited Photodiode and Classical Laser Noise Squashing V. Dumont, J. Ma, E. Eagan, J. C. Sankey Rev. Sci. Instrum. 94 , 123101 |  arXiv:2308.02476 (2023)
• Single-spin spectroscopy of spontaneous and phase-locked spin torque oscillator dynamics A. Solyom, M. Caouette-Mansour, B. Ruffolo, P. Braganca, L. Childress, J. C. Sankey Phys. Rev. Appl.  20 , 054055  |  arXiv:2307.16049 (2023)
• Development of a hydrated electron dosimeter for radiotherapy applications: A proof of concept J. Mégrourèche, H. Bekerat, J. Bian, A. Bui, J. C. Sankey, L. Childress, S. A. Enger Medical Physics  2023 , 1-7  (2023)
• GEANT4-DNA simulation of temperature-dependent and pH-dependent yields of chemical radiolytic species J. Bian, J. Duran, W.-G. Shin, J. Ramos-Méndez, J. C. Sankey, L. Childress, J. Seuntjens, S. A. Enger Phys. Med. & Biol.  68  124002 (2023)
• Radiation Dosimeter S. A. Enger, J. C. Sankey (Childress), L. Childress, J. Megroureche US Patent 11656369 (2023)
• Effects of incoming particle energy and cluster size on the G-value of hydrated electrons A. Bui, H. Bekerat, L. Childress, J. C. Sankey, J. Seuntjens, S. A. Enger Physica Medica 107 , 102540 (2023)
• Asymmetry-based quantum backaction suppression in quadratic optomechanics V. Dumont, H.-K. Lau, A. A. Clerk, J. C. Sankey Phys. Rev. Lett. 129 , 063604  |  arXiv:2203.00631  (2022)
• Robust spin relaxometry with fast adaptive Bayesian estimation M. Caouette-Mansour, A. Solyom, B. Ruffolo, R. D. McMichael, J. C. Sankey, L. Childress Phys. Rev. Applied 17 , 064031  |  arXiv:2202.12218  (2022)
• Sideband cavity absorption readout (SideCAR) with a robust frequency lock F. C. Rodrigues-Machado, P. Pestre, V. Dumont, E. Janitz, L. Scanlon, S. A. Enger, L. Childress, J. C. Sankey Optics Express 30 , 2, 754-767 |  arXiv:2110.02888  (2022)
• Spins strain to see the light L. Childress, J. C. Sankey Nature Physics News & Views (2021)
• A mechanically stable and tunable cryogenic Fabry–Pérot microcavity Y. Fontana, R. Zifkin, E. Janitz. C. D. Rodríguez Rosenblueth, L. Childress Review of Scientific Instruments 92 , 053906 | arXiv:2103.04823 (2021)
• Monitored wet-etch removal of individual dielectric layers from high-finesse Bragg mirrors S. Bernard, T. J. Clark, V. Dumont, J. Ma, J. C. Sankey Optics Express 28 , 33823 |  arXiv:2006.12303  (2020)
• Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics with Color Centers in Diamond E. Janitz, M. H. Bhaskar, L. Childress Optica 7, 10, 1232 (2020)
• Cavity-Enhanced Photon Emission from a Single Germanium-Vacancy Center in a Diamond Membrane R. H. Jensen, E. Janitz, Y. Fontana, Y. He, O. Gobron, I. P. Radko, M. Bhaskar, R. Evans, C. D. R. Rosenblueth, L. Childress, A. Huck, and U. L. Andersen Phys. Rev. Applied 13 , 064016 | arXiv:1912.05247  (2020)
• Development of a hydrated electron dosimeter for radiotherapy applications J. Mégrourèche, L. Childress, J. C. Sankey, S. Enger (Conference proceedings) Medical Physics 46 , 6 E411-E412 (2019).
• Analysis of membrane phononic crystals with wide bandgaps and low-mass defects C. Reetz, R. Fischer, G. G. T. Assumpcao, D. P. McNally, P. S. Burns, J. C. Sankey, C. A. Regal Phys. Rev. Applied 12  044027  |  arXiv:1906.11273  (2019)
• [Editor's Pick] Flexure-Tuned Membrane-at-the-Edge Optomechanical System V. Dumont, S. Bernard, C. Reinhardt, A. Kato, M. Ruf, J. C. Sankey Optics Express 27  25731-25748 |  arXiV:1905.04594 (2019)
• Swept-Frequency Drumhead Mechanical Resonators R. St-Gelais, S. Bernard, C. Reinhardt, J. C. Sankey ACS Photonics 2019  6 (2), 525 | arXiv:1808.10084 (2019)
• Probing a Spin Transfer Controlled Magnetic Nanowire with a Single Nitrogen-Vacancy Spin in Bulk Diamond A. Solyom, Z. Flansberry, M. A. Tschudin, N. Leitao, M. Pioro-Ladrière, J. C. Sankey, L. I. Childress Nano Letters 2018  18 (10), 6494  | arXiv:1807.03411 (2018)
• Charge state dynamics during excitation and depletion of the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond L. Hacquebard, L. Childress Phys. Rev. A 97 063408 | arXiv:1806.09191 (2018)
• Cavity Optomechanics in a Levitated Helium Drop L. Childress, M. P. Schmidt, A. D. Kashkanova, C. D. Brown, G. I. Harris, A. Aiello, F. Marquardt, J. G. E. Harris Phys. Rev. A 96 , 063842  | arXiv:1708.01803 (2017)
• High Mechanical Bandwidth Fiber-Coupled Fabry-Perot Cavity E. Janitz, M. Ruf, Y. Fontana, J. Sankey, L. Childress Opt. Express 25  20932-20943 |  arXiv:1706.09843  (2017)
• Optomechanics in superfluid helium coupled to a fiber-based cavity A. D. Kashkanova, A. B. Shkarin, C. D. Brown, N. E. Flowers-Jacobs, L. Childress, S. W. Hoch, L. Hohmann, K. Ott, J. Reichel and J. G. E. Harris Journal of Optics (Special Issue on Nano-Optomechanics) 19 , 034001 (2017)  |  arXiv:1609.07025  (2017)
• Superfluid Brillouin optomechanics A. D. Kashkanova, A. B. Shkarin, C. D. Brown, N. E. Flowers-Jacobs, L. Childress, S. W. Hoch, L. Hohmann, K. Ott, J. Reichel and J. G. E. Harris Nature Physics  13 , 74-79 | arXiv:1602.05640 (2017)
• Etch-Tuning and Design of Photonic Crystal Reflectors S.Bernard, C. Reinhardt, V. Dumont, Y.-A. Peter, J. C. Sankey Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, OSA Technical Digest (online), paper  JTu5A.127  (2017)
• [Editor's Pick]  Simple High-Bandwidth Sideband Locking with Heterodyne Readout C. Reinhardt, T.Müller, J. C. Sankey Opt. Express  25  1582-1597 | arXiv:1610.01631  (2017)
• Maximal adaptive-decision speedups in quantum-state readout B. D'Anjou, L. Kuret, L. Childress and W. A. Coish Physical Review X  6 , 011017  |  arXiv:1507.06846  (2016) 
• Precision Resonance Tuning and Design of Photonic Crystal Reflectors S. Bernard, C. Reinhardt, V. Dumont, Y.-A. Peter, J. C. Sankey Opt Letters  41  5624-5627 | arXiv:1609.00858  (2016)
• [Editor's Suggestion]  Quantum backaction and noise interference in asymmetric two-cavity optomechanical systems Y. Yanay, J. C. Sankey, A. A. Clerk Phys. Rev. A  93  063809 | arXiv:1604.01703  (2016)
• Optically Defined Mechanical Geometry A. Z. Barasheed,T. Müller, J. C. Sankey Phys. Rev. A  93  053811 | arXiv:1511.06193  (2016)
• [ Viewpoint , Science Editor's Choice ]  Ultralow-Noise SiN Trampoline MEMS for Sensing and Optomechanics C. Reinhardt, T. Müller, A. Bourassa, J. C. Sankey Phys. Rev. X  6  021001 | arXiv:1511.01769  (2016)
• Efficient signal processing for time-resolved fluorescence detection of nitrogen-vacancy spins in diamond A. Gupta, L. Hacquebard and L. Childress J. Opt. Soc. America B  33 , B28  | arXiv:1511.04407  (2016)
• A Fabry-Perot Microcavity for Diamond-Based Photonics E. Janitz, M. Ruf, M. Dimock, A. Bourassa, J. C. Sankey, L. Childress Phys. Rev. A  92  043844 | arxiv:1508.06588  (2015)
• [Editor's Suggestion]  Enhanced Optomechanical Levitation of Minimally Supported Dielectrics T. Müller, C. Reinhardt, J. C. Sankey Phys. Rev. A  91  153849 | arXiv:1412.7733  (2015)
• Atom-like defects: from quantum computers to biological sensors L. Childress, R. Walsworth and M. Lukin Physics Today,  67 , 38  (2014)
• Diamond dynamics under control L. Childress Science   345,  1247  (2014)
• Mechanical Resonators in the Middle of an Optical Cavity Ivan Favero, Jack Sankey, Eva Weig Book Chapter in  Cavity Optomechanics , edited by Markus Aspelmeyer, Tobias Kippenberg, & Florian Marquardt, Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg (2014)
• [ Nature News ]  Heralded entanglement between solid-state qubits separated by 3 meters H. Bernien, B. Hensen, W. Pfaff, G. Koolstra, M. S. Blok, L. Robledo, T. H. Taminiau, M. Markham, D. J. Twitchen, L. Childress, R. Hanson Nature  497,  86  |  arXiv:1212.6136  (2013)
• Diamond NV centers for quantum computing and quantum networks L. Childress and R. Hanson Bulletin  38 , 134  (2013)
• [ Synopsis ] Two-photon quantum interference from separate nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond H. Bernien, L. Childress, L. Robledo, M. Markham, D. Twitchen, and R. Hanson Phys. Rev. Lett  108 , 043604  |  arXiv:1110.3329  (2012)
• Cryogenic Optomechanics with a Si 3 N 4  Membrane and Classical Laser Noise *A. M. Jayich, *J. C. Sankey, *K. Børkje, D. Lee, C. Yang, M. Underwood, L. Childress, A. Petrenko, S. M. Girvin, J. G. E Harris New J. Phys. Focus on Optomechanics 14 115018 | arXiv:1209.2730  (2012)
• Fiber-Cavity-Based Optomechanical Device N. E. Flowers-Jacobs, S. W. Hoch, J. C. Sankey, A. Kashkanova, A. M. Jayich, C. Deutsch, J. Reichel, J. G. E. Harris Appl. Phys. Lett.  101  221109 | arXiv:1206.3558  (2012)
• Optomechanics in a Fiber Cavity N. E. Flowers-Jacobs, J. C. Sankey, A. Kashkanova, S. W. Hoch, A. M. Jayich, C. Deutsch, J. Reichel, & J. G. E. Harris Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics  (2012)
• [ News and Views ]  High-fidelity projective read-out of a solid-state spin quantum register *L. Robledo, *L. Childress, *H. Bernien, B. Hensen, P.F.A. Alkemade, and R. Hanson Nature  477 , 574  | arXiv:1301.0392 (2011)
• Carbon-13 hyperfine interactions in the nitrogen-vacancy centre in diamond B. Smeltzer, A. Gali and L. Childress New J. Phys.   13 , 025021  (2011)
• Resolved Sideband Laser Cooling of a Cryogenic Micromechanical Membrane A. M. Jayich, J. C. Sankey, A. A. Petrenko, J. G. E. Harris Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics  (2011)
• Strong and tunable optomechanical coupling in a low-loss system J. C. Sankey, C. Yang, B. M. Zwickl, A. M. Jayich, J. G. E. Harris Nature Physics  6  707–712 | arXiv:1002.4158  (2010)
• [ Kaleidoscope ]  Multifrequency spin resonance in diamond L. Childress and J. McIntyre Phys. Rev. A.  82 , 033839  | arXiv:1008.1103 (2010)
• Quantum entanglement between an optical photon and a solid-state spin qubit E. Togan, Y. Chu, A. S. Trifonov, L. Jiang, J. Maze, L. Childress, M. V. G. Dutt, A. Sørensen, P. R. Hemmer, A. S. Zibrov, M. D. Lukin Nature  466 , 730  (2010)
• Robust control of individual nuclear spins in diamond B. Smeltzer, J. McIntyre, L. Childress Phys. Rev. A  80 , 050302  (2009)
• Improved “Position-Squared” Readout Using Degenerate Cavity Modes J. C. Sankey, A. M. Jayich, B. M. Zwickl, C. Yang, J. G. E. Harris Proc. XXI Intl. Conf. Atomic Phys. | arXiv:0811.1343  (2009)
• High-sensitivity diamond magnetometer with nanoscale resolution J.M. Taylor, P. Cappellaro, L. Childress, L. Jiang, D. Budker, P.R. Hemmer, A. Yacoby, R. Walsworth, M.D. Lukin Nature Physics  4 , 810  | arXiv:0805.1367  (2008)
• Coherence of an optically illuminated single nuclear spin qubit L. Jiang, M. V. Gurudev Dutt, E. Togan, L. Childress, P. Cappellaro, J. M. Taylor, M.D. Lukin Phys. Rev. Lett.  100 , 073001  | arXiv:0707.1341  (2008)
• Dispersive Optomechanics: A Membrane Inside a Cavity A. M. Jayich, J. C. Sankey, B. M. Zwickl, C. Yang, J. D. Thompson, S. M. Girvin, A. A. Clerk, F. Marquardt, J. G. E. Harris New J. Phys.  10  095008 | arXiv:0805.3723  (2008)
• Linear Optical Properties of a High-Finesse Cavity Dispersively Coupled to a Micromechanical Membrane J. G. E. Harris, A. M. Jayich, B. M. Zwickl, C. Yang, and J. C. Sankey in  SPIE 6907  (2008)
• Strong Linewidth Variation for Spin-Torque Nano-Oscillators as a Function of In-Plane Magnetic Field Angle K. V. Thadani, G. Finocchio, Z.-P. Li, O. Ozatay, J. C. Sankey, I. N. Krivorotov, Y.-T. Cui, R. A. Buhrman, D. C. Ralph Phys. Rev. B  78  024409 | arXiv:0803.2871  (2008)
• Resonant Spin-Transfer-Driven Switching of Magnetic Devices Assisted by Microwave Current Pulses Y.-T. Cui, J. C. Sankey, C. Wang, K. V. Thadani, Z.-P. Li, R. A. Buhrman, D. C. Ralph Phys. Rev. B  77  214440 | arXiv:0803.2880  (2008)
• Measurement of the Spin-Transfer Torque Vector in Magnetic Tunnel Junctions J. C. Sankey, Y.-T. Cui, R. A. Buhrman, D. C. Ralph, J. Z. Sun, and J. C. Slonczewski Nature Physics  4 , 67-71 | arXiv:0705.4207  (2008)
• Quantum register based on individual electronic and nuclear spin qubits in diamond *M. V. Gurudev Dutt, *L. Childress, L. Jiang, E. Togan, J. Maze, F. Jelezko, A. S. Zibrov, P. R. Hemmer, and M. D. Lukin Science  316 , 1312  (2007)
• Magnetic vortex oscillator driven by d.c. spin-polarized current V. S. Pribiag, I. N. Krivorotov, G. D. Fuchs, P. M. Braganca, O. Ozatay, J. C. Sankey, D. C. Ralph, and R. A. Buhrman Nature Physics  3 , 498-503 | arXiv:cond-mat/0702253  (2007)
• Large-amplitude coherent spin waves excited by spin-polarized current in nanoscale spin valves I. N. Krivorotov, D. V. Berkov, N. L. Gorn, N. C. Emley, J. C. Sankey, D. C. Ralph, and R. A. Buhrman Phys. Rev. B  76 , 024418  (2007)
• Spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance measurements of damping in nanomagnets G. D. Fuchs, J. C. Sankey, V. S. Pribiag, L. Qian, P. M. Braganca, A. G. F. Garcia, E. M. Ryan, Z.-P. Li, O. Ozatay, D. C. Ralph, and R. A. Buhrman Appl. Phys. Lett.  91  062507 | arXiv:cond-mat/0703577  (2007)
• Large-amplitude coherent spin waves exited by spin-polarized current in nanoscale spin valves I. N. Krivorotov, D. V. Berkov, N. L. Gorn, N. C. Emley, J. C. Sankey, D. C. Ralph, R. A. Buhrman Phys. Rev. B  76  024418 | arXiv:cond-mat/0703458  (2007)
• Coherent dynamics of coupled electron and nuclear spin qubits in diamond *L. Childress, *M. V. Gurudev Dutt, J. M. Taylor, A. S. Zibrov, F. Jelezko, J. Wrachtrup, P. R. Hemmer, and M. D. Lukin Science  314 , 281  (2006)
• Time-resolved spin-torque switching and enhanced damping in Permalloy / Cu / Permalloy spin-valve nanopillars N. C. Emley, I. N. Krivorotov, O. Ozatay, A. G. F. Garcia, J. C. Sankey, D. C. Ralph, and R. A. Buhrman Phys. Rev. Lett. 96  247204 | arXiv:cond-mat/0510798  (2006)
• Spin-transfer-driven ferromagnetic resonance of individual nanomagnets J. C. Sankey, P. M. Braganca, A. G. F. Garcia, I. N. Krivorotov, R. A. Buhrman, and D. C. Ralph Phys. Rev. Lett.  96  227601 | arXiv:cond-mat/0602105  (2006)
• Fault-tolerant quantum communication based on solid-state photon emitters L. Childress, J.M. Taylor, A.S. Sorensen, M.D. Lukin Phys. Rev. Lett.  96 , 070504  | arXiv:quant-ph/0410123 (2006)
• Fault-tolerant quantum repeaters with minimal physical resources, and implementations based on single photon emitters L. Childress, J.M. Taylor, A.S. Sorensen, M.D. Lukin Phys. Rev. A  72 , 052330  | arXiv:quant-ph/0502112 (2005)
• Mechanisms limiting the coherence time of spontaneous magnetic oscillations driven by DC spin-polarized currents J. C. Sankey, I. N. Krivorotov, S. I. Kiselev, P. M. Braganca, N. C. Emley, R. A. Buhrman, and D. C. Ralph Phys. Rev. B  72  224427 | arXiv:cond-mat/0505733  (2005)
• Reducing the critical current for short-pulse spin-transfer switching of nanomagnets P. M. Braganca, I. N. Krivorotov, O. Ozatay, A. G. F. Garcia, N. C. Emley, J. C. Sankey, D. C. Ralph, and R. A. Buhrman App. Phys. Lett.  87  112507  (2005)
• Spin-transfer excitations of permalloy nanopillars for large applied currents S. I. Kiselev, J. C. Sankey, I. N. Krivorotov, N. C. Emley, A. G. F. Garcia, R. A. Buhrman, and D. C. Ralph Phys. Rev. B  72  064430 | arXiv:cond-mat/0504402  (2005)
• Time-domain measurements of nanomagnet dynamics driven by spin-transfer torques I. N. Krivorotov, N. C. Emley, J. C. Sankey, S. I. Kiselev, D. C. Ralph, and R. A. Buhrman Science  307 , 228  (2005)
• Shaping quantum pulses of light via coherent atomic memory M. D.Eisaman, L. Childress, A. Andre, F. Massou, A. S.Zibrov, and M. D. Lukin Phys. Rev. Lett.  93  , 233602  |  arXiv:quant-ph/0406093  (2004)
• Mesoscopic cavity quantum electrodynamics with quantum dots L. Childress, A. S. Sørensen, and M. D. Lukin Phys. Rev. A  69 , 042302  |  arXiv:quant-ph/0309106  (2004)
• Capacitative coupling of atomic systems to mesoscopic conductors A. Sørensen, C. H. van der Wal, L. Childress, M. D. Lukin Phys. Rev. Lett.  92 , 063601  |  arXiv:quant-ph/0308145  (2004)
• Differential charge sensing and charge delocalization in a tunable double quantum dot L. DiCarlo, H. J. Lynch, A. C. Johnson, L. Childress, K. Crockett, C. M. Marcus, M. P. Hanson, A. C. Gossard Phys. Rev. Lett.  92 , 226801  |  arXiv:cond-mat/0311308  (2004)
• Modeling of gravity-wave tail spectra in the middle atmosphere via numerical and Doppler-spread methods C. O. Hines, L. Childress, J. B. Kinney, and M. P. Sulzer J. Atmos. Sol. Phys.   66 , 933  (2004)
• Temperature dependence of spin-transfer-induced switching of nanomagnets I. N. Krivorotov, N. C. Emley, A. G. F. Garcia, J. C. Sankey, S. I. Kiselev, D. C. Ralph, and R. A. Buhrman Phys. Rev. Lett.  93 , 166603 | arXiv:cond-mat/0404003  (2004)
• Spin-transfer effects in nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions G. D. Fuchs, N. C. Emley, I. N. Krivorotov, P. M. Braganca, E. M. Ryan, S. I. Kiselev, J. C. Sankey, D. C. Ralph, R. A. Buhrman, and J. A. Katine App. Phys. Lett. 85 , 1205 | arXiv:cond-mat/0404002  (2004)
• Current-induced nanomagnetic dynamics for magnetic fields perpendicular to the sample plane S. I. Kiselev, J. C. Sankey, I. N. Krivorotov, N. C. Emley, M. Rinkoski, C. Perez, R. A. Buhrman, and D. C. Ralph Phys. Rev. Lett.  93  036601 | arXiv:cond-mat/0403100  (2004)
• Microwave oscillations of a nanomagnet driven by a spin-polarized current *S. I. Kiselev, *J. C. Sankey, I. N. Krivorotov, N. C. Emley, R. J. Schoelkopf, R. A. Buhrman, and D. C. Ralph Nature (London)  425 , 380 | arXiv:cond-mat/0306259  (2003)
• Thermally activated magnetic reversal induced by a spin-polarized current E. B. Myers, F. J. Albert, J. C. Sankey, E. Bonet, R. A. Burhman, and D. C. Ralph Phys. Rev. Lett.  89 , 196801  (2002)
• Singular potentials and limit cycles S.R. Beane, P.F. Bedaque, L. Childress, A. Kryjevski, J. McGuire, and U. van Kolck Phys. Rev. A  64 , 042103  |  arXiv:quant-ph/0010073  (2001)
• Observation of a shadow of the Moon in underground muon flux in the Soudan 2 detector J. H. Cobb et al Phys. Rev. D,  61  090002  (2000)

* Equally contributing authors  

Other Stuff

• Artwork: Michelangelo D'Agostino, Schrodinger's Drum,  Physical Review Focus, 11 November  (2008)
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Muffin Minutes

KAI WANG LAB

@ McGill University

Short biography

Kai Wang is an assistant professor and research chair in quantum photonics in the Department of Physics at McGill University. Before joining McGill in 2023, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. Before that, he received his PhD from the Australian National University, his MSc from Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, and his BEng from Tianjin University. Kai Wang is actively participating in Québec strategic clusters of researchers by being a member of RQMP and INTRIQ , and an associate member of COPL . At McGill, he is a member of the Centre for the Physics of Materials ( CPM ) and McGill Centre for Innovation in Storage and Conversion of Energy ( McISCE ). He is an early-career member of Optica (formerly the Optical Society) and serves as vice chair of the Optica Nanophotonics technical group. He is also a member of the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP).

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Ph.D. Courses

• Nominally, students in the Ph.D. program must successfully complete eight graduate courses, of which at least five are computer science courses.
• Graduate-level courses taken in the past, however, may count towards this requirement. Course reduction requests are considered only in the first few weeks of the beginning of the fall and winter terms and require the student to submit a course reduction request form well in advance. The forms must be sent to the graduate secretary.
• Regardless of the result of the course reduction request, every Ph.D. student must take at least two courses from the School of Computer Science at McGill.
• According to a GPS rule, no more than one-third of the McGill program formal coursework can be credited with courses from another university.
• While the students can use the course reduction request to reduce their course requirement to only two courses, we strongly recommend the students view the possibility of taking several courses during their Ph.D. as an opportunity. The students should take advantage of the many graduate courses that are offered in the department and build a solid and broad foundation for their knowledge of computer science.
• Courses are divided into two broad categories. The students who do not have an undergraduate degree in computer science or computer engineering must have course credit for at least two courses from each category. Note that this is not an exhaustive (or well maintained) list, and students should consult their supervisor or the graduate program director if in doubt.

Category A: Theory and applications

COMP 523 Language-based Security (3 credits) COMP 524 Theoretical Foundations of Programming Languages (3 credits) COMP 525 Formal Verification (3 credits) COMP 527 Logic and Computation COMP 531 Advanced Theory of Computation (3 credits) COMP 540 Matrix Computations (4 credits) COMP 547 Cryptography and Data Security (4 credits) COMP 552 Combinatorial Optimization (4 credits) COMP 553 Algorithmic Game Theory (4 credits) COMP 554 Approximation Algorithms (4 credits) COMP 560 Graph Algorithms and Applications (3 credits) COMP 566 Discrete Optimization 1 (3 credits) COMP 567 Discrete Optimization 2 (3 credits) COMP 610 Information Structures 1 (4 credits) COMP 627 Theoretical Programming Languages (4 credits) COMP 642 Numerical Estimation Methods (4 credits) COMP 647 Advanced Cryptography (4 credits) COMP 649 Quantum Cryptography (4 credits) COMP 690 Probabilistic Analysis of Algorithms (4 credits) COMP 760 Advanced Topics Theory 1 (4 credits) COMP 761 Advanced Topics Theory 2 (4 credits) COMP 526 Probabilistic Reasoning and AI (3 credits) COMP 550 Natural Language Processing (3 credits) COMP 561 Computational Biology Methods and Research (4 credits) COMP 564 Advanced Computational Biology Methods and Research (3 credits) COMP 579 Reinforcement Learning (4 credits) COMP 618 Bioinformatics: Functional Genomics (3 credits) COMP 680 Mining Biological Sequences (4 credits) COMP 652 Machine Learning (4 credits) COMP 611 Mathematical Tools for Computer Science (4 credits) COMP 588 Probabilistic Graphical Models (4 credits)

Category B: Systems and applications

COMP 512 Distributed Systems (4 credits) COMP 520 Compiler Design (4 credits) COMP 529 Software Architecture (4 credits) COMP 533 Model-Driven Software Development (3 credits) COMP 535 Computer Networks 1 (4 credits) COMP 575 Fundamentals of Distributed Algorithms (3 credits) COMP 612 Database Programming Principles (4 credits) COMP 614 Distributed Data Management (4 credits) COMP 621 Program Analysis and Transformations (4 credits) COMP 655 Distributed Simulation (4 credits) COMP 667 Software Fault Tolerance (4 credits) COMP 762 Advanced Topics Programming 1 (4 credits) COMP 763 Advanced Topics Programming 2 (4 credits) COMP 764 Advanced Topics Systems 1 (4 credits) COMP 765 Advanced Topics Systems 2 (4 credits) COMP 521 Modern Computer Games (4 credits) COMP 522 Modelling and Simulation (4 credits) COMP 546 Computational Perception (4 credits) COMP 551 Applied Machine Learning (4 credits) COMP 557 Fundamentals of Computer Graphics (4 credits) COMP 558 Fundamentals of Computer Vision (4 credits) COMP 559 Fundamentals of Computer Animation (4 credits) COMP 514 Applied Robotics (4 credits)

Category A or B depending on the topic:A

COMP 766 Advanced Topics Applications 1 (4 credits) COMP 767 Advanced Topics: Applications 2 (4 credits) COMP 597 Topics in Computer Science 4 (4 credits)

Detailed course descriptions may be found elsewhere on the website.

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© McGill University 2024 Credits

Kartiek Agarwal

Department of physics, mcgill university.

• We have openings at the graduate level, and for postdoctoral research positions. Please look at academicjobsonline website to apply for the postdoctoral research position. Please contact me at [email protected] with your CV, and statement of interests if you are interested in working with us.
• Our new work on making more robust majoranas in semiconductor wire setups using double braids or "draiding" is published in Phys. Rev. X Quantum: PRX Quantum 1 , 020324
• I was awarded the Tomlinson Science Award to work on the proposal ``Engineering majorana fermions for quantum computing". See link
• Our effort on resolving the black hole information paradox is accepted in Physical Review D. See link
• Our work on "Polyfractal protocols" for the dynamical enhancement of symmetries in many-body systems is published in Phys. Rev. Lett. See Phys. Rev. Lett. 125 , 080602 (2020)
• Our work on quantum Hall edge states on the surface of Bismuth is published in Nature. See Nature 566 , 363-367 (2019)
• Our work on observing phononic Cerenkov radiation in graphene is published in Science. See Science 364 , 154-157 (2019)

Quantum Computing: The Science Behind the News

• News Releases

Quantum move toward next generation computing

McGill researchers make important contribution to the development of quantum computing

McGill University

image: These images show the electrostatic energy given off when electrons are added to a quantum dot. They were made with an atomic-force microscope. view more 

Credit: Dept. of Physics, McGill University

Physicists at McGill University have developed a system for measuring the energy involved in adding electrons to semi-conductor nanocrystals, also known as quantum dots – a technology that may revolutionize computing and other areas of science. Dr. Peter Grütter, McGill's Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education, Faculty of Science, explains that his research team has developed a cantilever force sensor that enables individual electrons to be removed and added to a quantum dot and the energy involved in the operation to be measured.

Being able to measure the energy at such infinitesimal levels is an important step in being able to develop an eventual replacement for the silicon chip in computers – the next generation of computing. Computers currently work with processors that contain transistors that are either in an on or off position – conductors and semi-conductors – while quantum computing would allow processors to work with multiple states, vastly increasing their speed while reducing their size even more.

Although popularly used to connote something very large, the word "quantum" itself actually means the smallest amount by which certain physical quantities can change. Knowledge of these energy levels enables scientists to understand and predict the electronic properties of the nanoscale systems they are developing.

"We are determining optical and electronic transport properties," Grütter said. "This is essential for the development of components that might replace silicon chips in current computers."

The electronic principles of nanosystems also determine their chemical properties, so the team's research is relevant to making chemical processes "greener" and more energy efficient. For example, this technology could be applied to lighting systems, by using nanoparticles to improving their energy efficiency. "We expect this method to have many important applications in fundamental as well as applied research," said Lynda Cockins of McGill's Department of Physics.

The principle of the cantilever sensors sounds relatively simple. "The cantilever is about 0.5 mm in size (about the thickness of a thumbnail) and is essentially a simple driven, damped harmonic oscillator, mathematically equivalent to a child's swing being pushed," Grütter explained. "The signal we measure is the damping of the cantilever, the equivalent to how hard I have to push the kid on the swing so that she maintains a constant height, or what I would call the 'oscillation amplitude.' "

Dr. Aashish Clerk, Yoichi Miyahara, and Steven D. Bennett of McGill's Dept. of Physics, and scientists at the Institute for Microstructural Sciences of the National Research Council of Canada contributed to this research, which was published online late yesterday afternoon in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . The research received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, le Fonds Québécois de le Recherche sur la Nature et les Technologies, the Carl Reinhardt Fellowship, and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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• Quantum mechanics
• Research update

Physicists reveal the role of ‘magic’ in quantum computational power

Entanglement is a fundamental concept in quantum information theory and is often regarded as a key indicator of a system’s “quantumness”. However, the relationship between entanglement and quantum computational power is not straightforward. In a study posted on the arXiv preprint server, physicists in Germany, Italy and the US shed light on this complex relationship by exploring the role of a property known as “magic” in entanglement theory. The study’s results have broad implications for various fields, including quantum error correction, many-body physics and quantum chaos.

Traditionally, the more entangled your quantum bits (qubits) are, the more you can do with your quantum computer. However, this belief – that higher entanglement in a quantum state is associated with greater computational advantage – is challenged by the fact that certain highly entangled states can be efficiently simulated on classical computers and do not offer the same computational power as other quantum states. These states are often generated by classically simulable circuits known as Clifford circuits.

To address this discrepancy, researchers introduced the concept of “magic”. Magic quantifies the non-Clifford resources necessary to prepare a quantum state and thus serves as a more nuanced measure of a state’s quantum computational power.

Studying entanglement and magic

In the new study, Andi Gu , a PhD student at Harvard University, together with postdoctoral researchers Salvatore F E Oliviero of Scuola Normale Superiore and CNR in Pisa and Lorenzo Leone of the Dahlem Center for Complex Quantum Systems in Berlin, approach the study of entanglement and magic by examining operational tasks such as entanglement estimation, distillation and dilution.

The first of these tasks quantifies the degree of entanglement in a quantum system. The goal of entanglement distillation, meanwhile, is to use LOCC (local operations and classical communication) to transform a quantum state into as many Bell pairs as possible. Entanglement dilution, as its name suggests, is the converse of this: it aims to convert copies of the Bell state into less entangled states using LOCC with high fidelity.

Gu and colleagues find a computational phase separation between quantum states, dividing them into two distinct regimes: the entanglement-dominated (ED) and magic-dominated (MD) phases. In the former, entanglement significantly surpasses magic, and quantum states allow for efficient quantum algorithms to perform various entanglement-related tasks. For instance, entanglement entropy can be estimated with negligible error, and efficient protocols exist for entanglement manipulation (that is, distillation and dilution). The research team also propose efficient ways to detect entanglement in noisy ED states, showing their surprising resilience compared to traditional states.

In contrast, states in the MD phase have a higher degree of magic relative to entanglement. This makes entanglement-related tasks computationally intractable, highlighting the significant computational overhead introduced by magic and requiring more advanced approaches. “We can always handle entanglement tasks efficiently for ED states, but for MD states, it’s a mixed bag – while there could be something that works, sometimes nothing works at all,” Guo, Leone and Oliviero tell Physics World .

Practical implications

As for the significance of this separation, the trio say that in quantum error correction, understanding the interplay between entanglement and magic can improve the design of error-correcting codes that protect quantum information from decoherence (a loss of quantumness) and other errors. For instance, topological error-correcting codes that rely on the robustness of entanglement, such as those in three-dimensional topological models, benefit from the insights provided by the ED-MD phase distinction.

The team’s proposed framework also offers theoretical explanations for numerical observations in hybrid quantum circuits (random circuits interspersed with measurements), where transitions between phases are observed. These findings improve our understanding of the dynamics of entanglement in many-body systems and demonstrate that entanglement of states within the ED phase is robust under noise.

Quantum error correction produces better ‘magic’ states

The trio say that next steps for this research could take several directions. “First, we aim to explore whether ED states, characterized by efficient entanglement manipulation even with many non-Clifford gates, can be efficiently classically simulated, or if other quantum tasks can be performed efficiently for these states,” they say. Another avenue would be to extend the framework to continuous variable systems, such as bosons and fermions.

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• Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme
• Job Openings
• PhD Fellowship in Dete...

PhD Fellowship in Detecting and Mitigating Quantum Decoherence in Superconducting Circuits

• Quantum physics

The newly established Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Program (NQCP) is building a talented and diverse international team to create a cutting-edge program in the heart of Copenhagen, Denmark. At the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, where the formulation of Quantum Mechanics was born 100 years ago, the ambition is to build a mission-driven full-stack approach which will involve exciting innovations at every level, from the quantum processor to the quantum-classical interface all the way quantum algorithms and applications. The vision of the programme is to enable the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing hardware and quantum algorithms that solve important problems in the life-sciences.

NQCP invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in decoherence mechanisms of superconducting quantum computing processors and circuits. Start date is (expected to be) 15 December 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project

The superconducting qubit platform is one of the promising candidates for realizing scalable fault-tolerant quantum computing hardware. Superconducting qubit lifetimes are, however, despite tremendous improvement and perfection in the last decades, still limited by non-ideal material properties related to conventional fabrication methods, interface oxide formation, and material imperfections. This PhD project addresses the decoherence sources limiting qubit lifetimes by investigating and developing relevant and novel superconducting circuits. This includes optimizing designs, materials choice, packaging, and characterization methods (high throughput) of the superconducting qubits/circuits. Special focus will be on understanding decoherence mechanisms in different superconducting materials and material combinations. Furthermore, the project will investigate the origin of two-level systems and their relation to defects via theoretical modeling. This position will strengthen the link between NQCP and partners at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA, US. The PhD work is based at the Molecular Foundry (MF), The Advanced Quantum Testbed (AQT) and partners at Berkeley with visits to NQCP. The supervision will be coordinated across the involved institutions.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates within the field(s) of physics, engineering, and nanotechnology or similar, preferable with experience in superconducting circuits, e.g. design of superconducting devices and cryogenic measurements.

The Scientific environment

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and highly international research environment hosted by a collaboration between the NNF Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP) at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), CA, US. The PhD work will be anchored at LBNL with the aim to strengthen the collaboration between these institutions. Principal supervisor   is   Associate Prof. Kasper Grove-Rasmussen,   [email protected] . Co-supervisor Prof. Peter Krogstrup,   [email protected] . Supervisor at LBNL, Molecular Foundry: Sinéad Griffin   [email protected]

The PhD programme

Depending of your level of education, you can undertake the PhD programme as either:

• Option A:   A  three year full-time study  within the framework of  the regular PhD programme  ( 5+3 scheme) ,  if you already   have an education   equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.
• Option B: An up  to five year full-time study programme  within the framework of  the   integrated MSc and PhD   programme  (the 3+5 scheme),  if you do not have an education   equivalent to a relevant Danish master´s degree   – but you   have   an education   equivalent to a Danish bachelors´s degree .

***************************************************************************

Option A: Getting into a position on the regular PhD programme Qualifications needed for the regular programme To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Physics, Quantum Information Science or NanoScience. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see   General assessments for specific countries   and   Assessment database .

Terms of employment in the regular programme Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years. Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant. Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure. Appointment will be subject to receipt of a security clearance. Option B: Getting into a position on the integrated MSc and PhD programme Qualifications needed for the integrated MSc and PhD programme If you do not have an education   equivalent to a relevant Danish master´s degree , you might be qualified for the integrated MSc and PhD programme, if you have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish bachelor´s degree. Here you can find out, if that is relevant for you:   General assessments for specific countries   and   Assessment database .  

Terms of the integrated programme To be eligible for the integrated scholarship, you are (or are eligible to be) enrolled at one of the faculty’s master programmes in Physics. Students on the integrated programme will enroll as PhD students simultaneously with completing their enrollment in this MSc degree programme. The duration of the integrated programme is up to five years, and depends on the amount of credits that you have passed on your MSc programme. For further information about the study programme, please see:   www.science.ku.dk/phd , “Study Structures”. Until   the MSc degree is obtained, (when exactly two years of the full 3+5 programme remains), the grant will be paid partly in the form of 48 state education grant portions (in Danish: “SU-klip”) plus salary for work (teaching, supervision etc.) totalling a workload of 150 working hours per year. A PhD grant portion is currently (2024) DKK 6.820 before tax. When   you have obtained the MSc degree, you will transfer to the salary-earning part of the scholarship for a period of two years. At that point, the terms of employment and payment will be according to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure. Appointment will be subject to receipt of a security clearance. Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes

• Complete and pass the MSc education in accordance with the curriculum of the MSc programme (ONLY when you are attending the integrated MSc and PhD programme)
• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Programming skills
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in superconducting circuits and contributing to the NQCP/LBNL mission
• Good language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure

Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include : 

• Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
• Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
• Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
• Publication list (if possible)
• Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline:

The deadline for application is   1 September 2024 , 23:59 GMT +2. We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process

After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment. The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants   with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models.  The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at   https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/ .

For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor. General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website:   https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/ . The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position. 

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.

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Physics (M.Sc.)

Program description.

The Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Physics (Thesis) offered by the Department of Physics in the Faculty of Science is a research-intensive program that emphasizes research-driven and comprehensive learning opportunities. The program's objective is to equip students with skills in forward thinking, data collection, and the presentation of complex ideas to either continue their studies or pursue professional opportunities.

Keywords: astronomy, astrophysics, biophysics, condensed matter and materials physics, cosmology, nuclear and particle physics, quantum information, materials, computing, and subatomic physics.

Unique Program Features

• Students receive guidance and develop a network contacts to help with acquiring post-graduation job opportunities. Outstanding students may be permitted to directly enter the Ph.D. program after one year of M.Sc. Studies;
• The program offers a competitive funding package for both domestic and international students;
• The Department maintains an excellent conventional machine shop as well as the McGill Nanotools-Microfab facility;
• Faculty members conduct their research in a variety of disciplines including astrophysics, atmospheric physics, bio-physics, condensed-matter physics, high-energy physics, laser spectroscopy, material physics, non-linear dynamics and atmospheric physics, nuclear physics, statistical physics, medical-radiation physics;
• Additional research is also conducted off campus at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), the Jewish General Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), and laboratories around the world—including Argonne, CERN, FermiLab, SLAC, TRIUMF, and KEK.

University-Level Admission Requirements

• An eligible Bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA out of a possible 4.0 GPA
• English-language proficiency

Each program has specific admission requirements including required application documents. Please visit the program website for more details.

Visit our Educational credentials and grade equivalencies and English language proficiency webpages for additional information.

Program Website

MSc in Physics website

Department Contact

Graduate Program graduate.physics [at] mcgill.ca (subject: MSc%20in%20Physics) (email)

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Application deadlines.

Note : Application deadlines are subject to change without notice. Please check the application portal for the most up-to-date information.

Application Resources

• Application Steps webpage
• Submit Your Application webpage
• Connecting with a supervisor webpage
• Graduate Funding webpage

Application Workshops

Consult our full list of our virtual application-focused workshops on the Events webpag.e

Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

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