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Pinpointing the glow of a single atom

December 10, 2025
Researchers have discovered how to design and place single-photon sources at the atomic scale inside ultrathin 2D materials, lighting the path for future quantum innovations.

New Coating Method Stabilizes Fragile Magnetic Material for Next-Generation Quantum Devices

November 26, 2025
A promising method for connecting quantum devices on a chip is to use magnons, magnetic waves that move through materials and carry information. Recent research from a team led by Professor Mark Hersam found that a fragile magnetic material called vanadium tetracyanoethylene can be protected from atmospheric damage by coating it with an extremely thin layer of alumina.

Second SQMS Grant Aims to Scale Quantum Computing Platform

November 24, 2025
The first round of work conducted by the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center (SQMS) aimed to establish and demonstrate the bona fides of a new quantum computing platform. The grant that was announced on November 4 for a second round of SQMS, a multi-organizational effort funded through the U.S. Department of Energy, led by Fermi National Accelerator lab and tapping Northwestern researchers’ expertise, will scale it up.

Fermilab’s SQMS Center funded with $125 million to shape the future of quantum information science

November 4, 2025
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science has renewed the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center (SQMS), hosted by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, with $125 million over the next five years to accelerate breakthroughs in quantum information science. The total planned funding is $125 million over five years, with $25 million in the first year and future funding contingent on congressional appropriations.

Molecular Coating Cleans up Noisy Quantum Light

October 3, 2025
Quantum light sources often produce inconsistent or contaminated single photons, limiting the reliability of quantum technologies. This simple, scalable approach enables more precise, reliable photon sources essential for secure quantum communication and ultra-precise sensing.

Materials Science, Chemistry Key to QIS—and NU Excels There, Too

July 10, 2025
The field of quantum information science (QIS) relies heavily on physics—and many think about it in those terms—but materials science and chemistry are also critical to the success of quantum technologies like computing, sensing and communications, according to Mark Hersam, PhD, chair of the materials science and engineering department and director of the materials research center at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering.