The University says it has has a strong presence in quantum research with world leading capabilities in crystal growth, nanometre scale device fabrication and device physics research. A spin-out company has already been formed to help commercialise research, with another in preparation.
Its ambitious goal is to help “revolutionise computing, communication, sensing and imaging technologies”, says the university, with its work lead by researchers from the departments of Physics and Astronomy, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science.
“The University of Sheffield already has very considerable strengths in the highly topical area of quantum science and technology,” said Professor Maurice Skolnick, Director of the Sheffield Quantum Centre.
“I have strong expectation that the newly formed centre will bring together these diverse strengths to maximise their impact, both internally and more widely across UK universities and funding bodies.”
The Sheffield Quantum Centre will be located in the University of Sheffield’s ‘Diamond’ building (pictured above).
The formal opening of the centre was carried out by Lord Jim O’Neill chair of Chatham House, promoter of the Northern Powerhouse and Sheffield alumnus, and the Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield University, Professor Koen Lamberts.
Equipment
During the opening ceremony, the Sheffield Quantum Centre also launched its new £2.1 million Quantum Technology Capital equipment.
Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the equipment is a molecular beam epitaxy cluster tool designed to grow very high quality wafers of semiconductor materials – types of materials that have numerous everyday applications such as in mobile phones and lasers that drive the internet.
The semiconductor materials also have many new quantum applications which researchers are focusing on developing, says the university.
“The University of Sheffield has a 40-year history of pioneering developments in semiconductor science and technology and is host to the National Epitaxy Facility,” said Professor Jon Heffernan from the University’s Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.
“With the addition of this new quantum technologies equipment I am confident our new research centre will lead to many new and exciting technological opportunities that can exploit the strange but powerful concepts from quantum science.”
