The Center for Quantum Nano Science (QNS) studies materials on the atomic scale. We employ specialized tools that allow us to see atoms, touch atoms and move them into desired positions. This allows us to build engineered structures consisting of several atoms, which often have surprising and sometimes useful properties. QNS will focus on a basic exploration of our world on the atomic scale with an eye towards harnessing these quantum properties for data storage and computation.

Our Goals

1. - Achieving full control of the quantum states of atoms and molecules on clean surfaces and near interfaces
2. - Exploring both theoretically and experimentally, systems and strategies for coherent manipulation of quantum nanostructures, with emphasis on understanding and mitigating decoherence
3. - Demonstrating and optimizing the use of single atoms and molecules as quantum bits for quantum computation applications
4. - Investigating the transition from quantum to classical behavior, including the quantum measurement problem