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COSINC has been instrumental in securing NSF Midscale R1 funding through a recent $20 million award to establish the National Quantum Nanofab Facility (NQN) at the Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ. The principal investigators (PIs) on this award are S. Diddams (Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), A. Jugessur (College of Engineering and Applied Science), J. Gopinath (Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), and C. Regal (Physics), along with several senior personnel from other CU Boulder units.

This achievement reflects several key strengths: decades of exceptional research at CU Boulder in quantum science and engineering, a highly capable team of PIs, strong support from the College of Engineering and Applied Science and campus leadership, and the foundational infrastructure and staff support provided by COSINC.

The NQN will serve as the cornerstone of a quantum nanofabrication ecosystem that leverages CU Boulder’s unique expertise in atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics. It aims to address the national need for quantum devices that integrate neutral atoms, ions, and photonics for applications such as quantum computing, quantum networking, atomic clocks, and advanced sensors for electric, magnetic, and gravitational fields.

Currently, the United States lacks a facility that collocates the necessary tools and fabrication processes for such devices. The NQN will fill this gap by combining cutting-edge equipment with Boulder’s scientific and technical expertise. With an open-access model for academic, industrial, and government partners, the NQN will accelerate the development of quantum hardware, driving transformative scientific, technological, and economic growth.

The new NQN facility will be annexed and connected to the existing COSINC cleanroom (~3,500 sq. ft), where key processes such as optical and electron beam lithography will continue. These will support additional processes in the new NQN cleanroom, which is currently designed to be approximately 3,600 sq. ft (see Figure 1 for artistic rendering and layout). Together, these spaces will form a contiguous ISO 5/6 cleanroom environment to enable nanofabrication of a wide range of quantum nanoscale devices.

Operations and administration of the NQN facility will be integrated with COSINC, with additional staff hired to manage technical, financial, and administrative functions specific to NQN activities. The facility is expected to be completed by mid-2027.