International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, 2025

Quantum mechanics is a physics theory that represents a major revolution in both scientific thinking and our view of reality and the universe to which we belong. It makes it possible to describe most of the phenomena experimentally observed today, in the microscopic world of elementary particles, up to the macroscopic world, such as the properties of superconductors. It has already profoundly affected our lives by leading to the development of technologies such as transistors and lasers that operate on the basis of the quantum properties of semiconductors and electromagnetic radiation. These applications and the new second-generation technologies being developed today are an iconic and fascinating example of how fundamental research, in an unforeseeable period of time that can sometimes be very long, can lead to the development of high-impact applications. Technologies capable of triggering a veritable revolution, as happened, for example, in the 1800s with electricity, which changed our daily lives forever. And as could happen today with the new frontiers of quantum computing and simulations.

Copertina della rivista Asimmetri n. 33 [QUANTI].

Issue 23 of INFN’s institutional journal, Asimmetrie, entitled Quanti (Quanta), is dedicated to quantum mechanics. It was published in 2022, the year of the award of the Nobel Prize to Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser e Anton Zeilinger for their experiments on entangled photons, that made it possible to establish the violation of Bell’s inequalities and thus paved the way for quantum information science.

QUANTUM TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH: AN EXCITING CHALLENGE

The past few years have seen, at the international level, an increasing amount of attention and investment in promising emerging quantum technologies such as, for example, new generations of sensors, cryptography, quantum imaging, the study of the components of new quantum computers such as qubits, quantum computing and simulations: applications that could have revolutionary effects on a number of aspects of our daily lives.

To find out more about emerging technologies: www.asimmetrie.it.

The National Institute for Nuclear Physics is involved in various research and development activities in this area such as the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Centre (SQMS) at Fermilab (Chicago, USA) for the development of sensor technology and quantum computers. The SQMS Centre funded by the U.S. Department of Energy has the ambitious goal of designing and building the most powerful quantum computer ever, a collaborative effort involving 20 institutions including INFN, the only non-U.S. partner. One of the key challenges researchers are facing is how to extend the lifetime of qubits, the building blocks of quantum computers. Superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities, originally developed for particle accelerators, have already been successfully used in quantum computing, proving to be effective in extending the lifetime of qubits. Moreover, the SQMS Centre will develop new quantum sensors, which could also find use in fundamental physics experiments searching for dark matter and other elusive subatomic particles. Within the scope of the project, INFN will set up a laboratory at its Gran Sasso National Laboratories for testing qubits in an ultra-low radioactivity environment.

Anna Grassellino, DOE Early Career Award recipient, with SCRF Cavity. FERMILAB,

At the European level, the institute is participating in the European Union’s QUANTERA programme: a network that brings together 41 research institutions from 31 countries dedicated to advancing high-quality research and innovation in quantum technologies.

As a demonstration of the scientific and economic importance of research on quantum computing and its associated technologies, in conjunction with the Science G7 organised last July as part of the Italian G7 Presidency, at the Tecnopolo in Bologna, which has become the national centre of reference for supercomputing, at the initiative of MUR (Ministry of Universities and Research) and MIMIT (Ministry of Business and Made in Italy), a working group was set up to discuss the future Italian quantum computing strategy. At the same time, the Bologna Quantum Alliance (BoCA) was signed, an agreement that brings together a group of research institutions based in Emilia-Romagna that have committed to work in synergy in research and development on big data, supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

Centro Nazionale di Calcolo CNAF - INFN ©INFN, Roberto Giacomelli

Regarding the projects and initiatives launched under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) INFN is the proposing entity of the National ICSC Centre for supercomputing, big data and quantum computing and participates in the NQSTI extended partnership on quantum computing and technologies. The ICSC Centre is a foundation, based in Bologna, that performs research and development activities, at national and international level, for innovation in the field of high-performance simulations, computing and data analysis. It is organised in a hub and spoke structure. Among these, Spoke 10 is dedicated to quantum computing and has as its main mission to overcome a number of challenges related to component reliability and computer programming complexity of quantum computers, problems that it is critical to solve in order to enable the practical use of quantum computers. Within the scope of this line of research, a superconducting prototype quantum computer was recently implemented.

The National Quantum Science and Technology Institute (NQSTI) is a PNRR-funded project for the creation of a consortium hub dedicated to research in quantum science and technology. In particular, NQSTI’s scientific focus is on research and development at experimental “proof of concept” level in the laboratory, in the field of sciences, quantum technologies for radically innovative applications in sensing, in secure communication and in the processing of quantum information and in simulation. The medium to long-term aim is to establish a national consortium bringing together all institutions active in quantum science and technology, guaranteeing Italy’s competitiveness in this important scientific-technological sector. INFN participates actively in the activities of Spoke 3 “Atomic and molecular platforms for quantum technologies”, Spoke 4 “Photonic platform for quantum technologies”, Spoke 6 “Integration of platforms”, Spoke 8 “Technology Transfer” and Spoke 9 “Education and outreach”.

In Trento, where INFN’s TIFPA national centre is located, the University of Trento, the Bruno Kessler Foundation and the National Institute for Nuclear Physics collaborate in the Q@TN laboratory, which aims to be a hub of quantum research and technology at the Italian and European level. The Q@TN laboratory covers the entire innovation chain, from university education, with a cross-disciplinary PhD programme in Quantum Sciences and Technologies, to the development of new devices and the prototyping of industrialisation-ready systems in the fields of supercomputing, secure communications, and for sensor technology.

INFN PROJECTS FOR TECHNOLOGICAL AND INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

Since 2020, INFN has been promoting quantum technologies by funding projects dedicated to technological and interdisciplinary research in this area through its National Scientific Committee 5. These are highly diversified and qualified activities capable of establishing an interdisciplinary network in the future for the implementation of advanced devices that can then be used in various areas of interest to INFN.

To date, many projects directed by young researchers have extended the institute’s expertise in areas mainly related to technologies for computing and quantum sensing. Projects such as QUANTEP, DARTWARS and QUBIT are laying the foundation for the implementation of quantum devices useful for both qubit creation and photon detection with sensitivities beyond the classical limits of currently available detectors. These projects have initiated an ongoing line of research with numerous projects in progress. These include experiments such as UNIDET, for the production of integrated single-photon detectors, QUISS, for image reconstruction beyond the quantum limit, MOONLIGHT, for the development of quantum protocols and T4QC, for the implementation of table-top optical qubits. And in 2024, QURE, for the study of radiation effects on qubits, SQUEEZE for the implementation of integrated sensors for gravitational antennas, and QUARTET, for the implementation of quantum simulation architectures of physical phenomena. Alongside these projects, the National Science Committee 5 funds grants and projects of young researchers such as RESILIENCE, for the implementation of innovative single-photon detectors in the microwave spectrum, ACESUPER_Q, for the use of qubits as underground cosmic ray detectors and QUTE_FDS, for the production of squeezed-light sensors for large gravitational antennas such as, for example, the future Einstein Telescope. Finally, for several years now, activities aimed at making diamond colour centres for the implementation of quantum sensors such as DIESIS, ASIDI, TEMPURA have been funded.

THEORETICAL RESEARCH: QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT

INFN researchers and associates are engaged in theoretical activities focused on both fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics and more applied aspects with important implications in the field of quantum information and computing. These activities are carried out within the scope of the National Scientific Committee 4 dedicated precisely to research in theoretical physics.

Among the main fundamental issues studied are the problem of transition between quantum and classical regimes, entanglement, as a property that distinguishes the quantum world, and non-locality, the relationship between gravitation and quantum laws, the study of new experimental tests of quantum laws and alternative models to quantum mechanics.

Quantum entanglement plays a critically important role, with important connections to complex systems theory and information theory. Of particular interest is the field of quantum simulation, which would make it possible to address problems that cannot be treated by “classical” simulations, with potential applications in a variety of areas, such as high-energy physics, lattice gauge theories, quantum and topological phase transitions, and quantum systems exhibiting gravity-like behaviour in strong field situations, as in the case of black holes.

In the field of quantum computing, techniques are being studied for error correction due essentially to loss of coherence properties, a central problem in the development of qubits, which are at the heart of quantum computers. The reference projects for these issues are BELL and QUANTUM.

INITIATIVES FOR THE PUBLIC: THE FASCINATION OF THE QUANTUM

In addition to its research efforts, in recent years INFN has dedicated a number of important initiatives for the public and schools to the topic of quantum mechanics, including an exhibition that has had more than 100,000 visitors created by INFN and the Trento Science Museum MUSE entitled: QUANTUM. THE REVOLUTION IN ONE LEAP.

The exhibition, full of immersive installations, videos and exhibits, narrates the story of quantum mechanics and the revolution it has brought to scientific thinking, culture and technological development through a five-stage itinerary that takes visitors from the classical universe of the 1800s to the cosmos as we know it today.

In addition, on the occasion of the exhibition, we organised a series of Facebook live streams entitled QUANTO NE SAI (How much do you know), now available on our YouTube channel, among which the live stream How quantum is the cosmos is worthy of mention.

Inaugurazione della mostra "Quanto" al Muse di Trento

For schools, there is the educational programme published by ScienzaPerTutti (Science For All), INFN’s outreach website dedicated to schools, and the interview on education and quantum mechanics published on the public engagement portal “Collisions”.

Finally, for science and theatre, there are two conference shows produced, respectively, for the Rome Science Festival (2022) and the Genoa Science Festival (2024):

How quantum is the cosmos?, Genoa Science Festival 2024;

Quantum. The word that changed physics, Rome Science Festival 2022.

edited by INFN Communications Office – INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA