Breakthrough quantum photonics research earns AFOSR award

Assistant Professor Chris Anderson of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has been selected for the 2025 Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award. This honor recognizes the exceptional ability and promise of early career scientists and engineers in conducting groundbreaking basic research while also fostering their professional development. Anderson’s pioneering work in cryogenic quantum photonics has earned him this recognition, along with funding to further advance this promising field.

Key Details:

• Significant Recognition: Over 150 proposals were considered before AFOSR ultimately selected Anderson’s research.
• Key Materials: Strontium titanate, which is a quantum paraelectric perovskite oxide.
• Primary Goal: To develop the most nonlinear optical material ever measured at low temperatures to aid in quantum and classical photonic tasks.

The Challenge:

Electro-optic (EO) materials tune the optical properties of materials using electric fields. However, at low temperatures, the performance of many traditional EO materials deteriorates. This poses significant challenges in quantum systems, as materials need to operate efficiently at cryogenic temperatures for tasks such as microwave-to-optical conversion, which links quantum computers and high-speed switching of light for photonics applications. To date, known materials are not nonlinear enough for these critical quantum applications.

The Solution:

Anderson’s research tackles this challenge by studying the ferroelectric-to-paraelectric phase diagram of the crystal strontium titanate. The study aims to create a material with record nonlinear optical properties at low temperatures. The goal is to fabricate these materials into high-quality, thin films and design nanophotonic devices, including a microwave-to-optical converter that could outperform current devices in the field. This work is expected to provide essential advances in photonic links for superconducting microwave circuits and modular quantum computing.

 “To-date, EO materials have been identified and optimized for room-temperature applications. What we’re excited to develop is a new class of materials optimized for low temperature, quantum applications. These ideas connect to large quantum computing efforts but also study the fundamental relationship between exotic condensed matter physics phenomena and useful cryogenic properties.” - Assistant Professor Chris Anderson

Research Impact:

Anderson’s work has the potential to significantly enhance quantum computing and communications. By creating materials that can efficiently convert microwave signals to optical signals, this research could solve critical challenges in scaling quantum computers by linking them with light. This idea is also the basis of Anderson's existing work regarding strontium titanate supported by Google Quantum AI.

In addition, Anderson’s work directly connects to computing using photons, which addresses the need for low-temperature photonic switches. For example, PsiQuantum, which was recently announced as a core tenant of the U. of I.-led Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), desires strong EO materials to build their quantum computer. 

What’s Next:

The next step in Anderson’s research is to fabricate thin films from the newly developed material using a heterogeneous bonding and mechanical processing scheme, enabled in part by U. of I. investments through the Microelectronics Commons program. These films will then be used to design and fabricate nanophotonic devices. A key project goal is the creation of a prototype microwave-to-optical converter that outperforms current methods. 

Bottom Line:

Anderson’s research represents a major leap forward in quantum photonics, especially for applications at cryogenic temperatures. The development of highly nonlinear optical materials will make it possible to scale quantum systems and overcome challenges faced by current quantum technologies, enabling applications that can change the world. 

Illinois Grainger Engineering Affiliations 

Chris Anderson is an Illinois Grainger Engineering assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and is affiliated with both the Department of Physics and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is a member of the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center, the Materials Research Laboratory, the Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab and the NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute on Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks.