Quantum Technology

 

Background

Much of our current technology, from semiconductor electronics to lasers, has emerged from what is sometimes referred to as the “first quantum revolution”, i.e., the understanding of the properties of matter based on the laws of quantum mechanics. More recently, elusive concepts of quantum mechanics such as superposition and entanglement ‑ which have long been regarded as puzzling curiosities of quantum mechanics with no practical purposes ‑ have become the keystones of several technological applications fostering the notion of a "second quantum revolution".

These applications go from quantum sensing, to quantum simulations to quantum communications, and, last but not least, to quantum computing. The latter represents a paradigm shift in computing more fundamental than the evolution from the abacus to today’s supercomputers and promises unprecedented capabilities for certain computational tasks. Altogether, these different applications form the field of quantum technology.

We are now witnessing an exciting phase where quantum technology is moving from the mere academic research environment to be a primary topic of interest for industry and society. Much of this development has been driven by major investments by private companies (e.g. Google, Microsoft, IBM, INTEL,…) and by national and international funding agencies (see e.g. the European FET Flagship Program on Quantum Technologies). The consequence is that there is an increasing demand for a specialized quantum-savvy workforce.

We are now moving beyond just making indirect use of quantum effects and working on directly controlling them. It is a defined goal of the Federal Government that German institutes and companies will be a part of shaping this transformation and pioneering the "second quantum revolution". Examples of how "second-generation quantum technologies" could be used include creating measuring devices with much higher precision, vastly enhanced data communication security, and building higher-performance satellites and computers. The possibilities in these technologies are so great that they could have major effects on our economy and society, as well as being extremely relevant to security policy. The international race to turn these technologies into industrial reality has already begun, with activities underway in all the leading countries.

Quantum technologies – from basic research to market, BMBF, Germany.

A novel Master study track

To respond to this need, the Physics Department of the RWTH Aachen University is offering a novel Master study-track on Quantum Technology, starting from the winter semester 2019/20. This study track has been developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology and will include theoretical and experimental courses alike, and a new, dedicated lab course where to put theory into practice. Students will be also offered cutting-edge research projects and an industrial tie-up for internships. A brief introduction to the topic including about city of Aachen and RWTH followed by a concise teaching plan and research topics is given in the presentation - Quantum Technology.

The study track is also one of the strategic measures of the Cluster of Excellence ML4Q in the field of teaching, and it greatly profit from the close collaborations with experts from Jülich Research Center, Cologne and Bonn Universities.

 

Curriculum

 

A list of elective courses offered by the Department of Physics (see "Elective courses" → "Specialization courses" → "Nanoelectronics" or "Experimental Condensed Matter Physics" or "Condensed Matter Theory") and Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (see "Major fields" → "Micro- and Nanoelectronics (MINA)" → "Elective MINA" or see "Electives (General)") should help the students choose the courses in the first year which will be relevant to their field of research interest for the second year.

We are collaborating with two of our IDEA league partners, namely Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and Delft University of Technology, or TU Delft, in the Netherlands, as a part of the Distance Learning and Distance Assessment initiative of the MyScore project to also offer online courses.

Since the QT study track relies strongly on the profound knowledge of quantum mechanics, we expect that your understanding of the subject is equivalent to the course taught at the undergraduate study in the Department of Physics. For example, this Quantenmechanik - script includes topics like: Schrödinger (time-independent) equation, WKB approximation, Dirac notation, operators, observables and measurement, harmonic oscillator, symmetries, spin, hydrogen atom, approximation methods, and identical particles.

If you are not familiar with the above topics, you might have to consider the Master's college for the bridging courses, where missing pre-knowledge is imparted.

More information on the (theoretical and experimental) research groups at the RWTH Aachen and the Research Center in Jülich can be found at research page .

All other relevant information about application procedures for German and international students, entrance qualification, and exam regulations can be found at the respective links.

Note that the language of study is English.

 

Scholarship

The application deadline for the RWTH Quantum Technology Scholarship for the academic year 2023-25 is the 15th of February, 2023.

Within the framework of ML4Q, RWTH Aachen University will be awarding full two-year scholarships to two outstanding students every year. The coursework for members of the RWTH Quantum Technology Scholarship Program is identical to the regular MSc program. However, students with a scholarship are expected to participate in a part-time internship program in one of the associated groups:

• Müller Group
• Bluhm Group
• other Groups can offer part-time internships upon individual request

To apply, please send your application as SINGLE PDF (use the format Lastname_RWTHQTScholarship_2023.pdf) with the following documents to Lisa Otten (l.otten@physik.rwth-aachen.de):

Note: apart from sending the documents below, you should also make a formal application to the Master of Science in Physics program at RWTH Aachen University. The RWTH Quantum Technology Scholarship application is independent of the Master of Science in Physics application.

• RWTH Quantum Technology Scholarship Application Form.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• A single page "Letter of Motivation" for joining the Master study track.
• Two letters of recommendation (can be send directly to Lisa Otten (l.otten@physik.rwth-aachen.de) by the authors)
• Certified copy of the school leaving certificate (or an equivalent degree of qualification for access to universities). Examples include "High-School Passing Certificate", "High School Diploma".
• Certified copies of each university degree and/or a statement about degrees you plan to complete before joining the RWTH Aachen University.
• Certified copy of your transcript of record.
• Proof of English language proficiency. Please provide any one of the following: TOEFL (90 points, internet-based), IELTS (score 5.5), Cambridge Test - Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), First Certificate in English (FCE) with a grade of at least B, Certificate on English proficiency at the level B2 of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)". RWTH Aachen students can submit results of Placement-Test of the language center of RWTH Aachen with a level of B2 (MK 7).

The deadline for the RWTH Quantum Technology Scholarship application is 15.02.2023. This will be followed by sending out the "interview invitation" to all the selected participants where you’ll be asked for suitable interview dates in March 2023. Please note that for the interview you should prepare a 15 minute presentation based on your Bachelor thesis or topic of interest in Quantum Technology. Finally, you’ll be notified of your successful application by the end of March 2023 or early April 2023.

If you have any questions, please send an email to Lisa Otten (l.otten@physik.rwth-aachen.de).

 

Testimonials

Having a Quantum Technology (QT) track at RWTH made perfect sense considering the current advancement in this field.

The winter semester of 2019 started with a broad overview of different topics. From the lectures on Condensed Matter Physics to the perfectly organized Hardware Platforms for Quantum Technology, I gained a solid background in the field. Quantum Optics lecture stole the show for the elective courses. I also attended lectures that were not specific to QT, however, they were still interesting.

As was promised, more activities were yet to come starting with the two weeks Matter and Light for Quantum Computing (ML4Q)-cluster course. Due to the corona pandemic situation, we expected some technical hiccups with the sudden online learning format. Nevertheless, learning about five research areas was indeed insightful.

The summer semester 2020 introduced new QT-specific courses like Quantum Measurement and Quantum Error Correction (QEC), alongside the already established ones. The QEC was a distance learning course organized in collaboration with TU Delft, the Netherlands. Thanks to the video-on-demand format, I could attend it from the comfort of my home. The Quantum Information course helped me understand the importance of the physicality of the information and the benefits of the quantum computer. Unfortunately, the Lab course Quantum Technology was held online. I could not benefit as much as I would have liked to do. The poorly organized data made me lose too much time on the otherwise engaging experiments.

With the introduction of the courses like the Modeling of Superconducting Devices (TU Delft) and Quantum Computing (Chalmers University) courses in the winter semester of 2020, I am impressed by the level the RWTH is aiming. Along with the collaborations (Köln, Bonn, TU-Delft, Chalmers, etc.) and in-house research facilities like the Research Center at Jülich, I hope to benefit from every chance RWTH Aachen is offering me. Hopefully, someday I can contribute back with my research.

Roudy Hanna, RWTH Aachen University.

When I joined the RWTH Aachen in 2016, the Quantum Technology (QT) Master study track was not offered as one of the main study tracks.

I went for Quantum Field theories and Gauge theories that were both challenging and exciting. I took all the courses that one could take in the quantum direction, e.g., quantum optics, quantum information, and computational physics, to name a few.

Now, since the QT study track is offered as the main track, I believe this would benefit students who wish to concentrate only on quantum.

For all others, who would like to have more interdisciplinary courses and want to combine courses offered in the QT track with other tracks, I offer myself as an example that it is possible.
After my Master's, I went ahead to pursue a Ph.D. in quantum computing at Jülich.

I wish the next generation, who have the opportunity to attend the well-organized QT track, all the very best. I would like to remind them of the words of Dr. Szent-Gyorgyi that scientific discovery is not so much in seeing what nobody has seen but seeing what every one has seen yet thinking what nobody has thought.

Manpreet Singh Jattana, RWTH Aachen University.