Sathish Kumar, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) has been awarded a new National Science Foundation (NSF) research award to develop new designs for programmable quantum sensor circuits.

The three-year, $799,985 award is titled "Reinforcement Learning for the Optimal Design of Programmable Quantum Sensor Circuit." The proposal includes a sub-award with Dr. Murray Holland, a Physics professor at the University of Colorado Boulder who studies quantum gases and optomechanical transducers.

The team will utilize machine learning (ML) techniques to develop sensors and measurement circuits that take advantage of quantum entanglement and superposition. To date, quantum sensors have been used to measure magnetic and electric fields but the sensors have been limited to simple circuits with only a few elements.

It is expected that this research will enable the development of the next generation of quantum sensors and narrow the gap between the current quantum sensor performance and the fundamental limits set by quantum physics. Improved quantum sensors would provide a platform for more precise measurement systems for use many scientific fields.

In addition, Dr. Kumar and his team will partner with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to introduce quantum concepts to K-12 students to help create a more diverse talent pipeline of scientists in the future.