A new 70,000-square-foot facility dedicated to the exploration of quantum science has officially opened at Caltech, funded by lead gifts from Broadcom, the Duan Family, Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg, and the Sherman Fairchild Foundation. The Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Center for Quantum Precision Measurement will serve as a central hub for research spanning quantum technologies, biology, chemistry, and computer science. “The notion of a place where you can bring together people who think about important problems from very different directions is very Caltech,” said Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum at the dedication ceremony. Dr. Ginsburg noted that Caltech’s legacy of ambitious projects, like the Voyager mission and continued communication with Earth from interstellar space, inspired his support for the new center, envisioning a future powered by talented researchers, artificial intelligence, and quantum computers.
Ginsburg Center Dedication Unites Caltech Researchers
The completion of the Dr. The dedication ceremony, held on June 17, brought together faculty, donors, and industry partners, all recognizing the potential of this new hub for scientific advancement. This physical consolidation addresses a long-standing need for researchers previously scattered across campus, according to John Preskill, the Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics. The impetus for the center extends from Caltech’s historical legacy of ambitious scientific endeavors. Funding for the Ginsburg Center is a collaborative effort, with lead gifts from Broadcom, the Duan Family, and a grant from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, alongside contributions from numerous other sources.
Bonnie Burke Himmelman, formerly the director of the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, noted the foundation’s longstanding relationship with Caltech, having provided over 36 grants since the 1970s. She recounted a shared appreciation for intellectual curiosity and risk-taking between her father, Walter Burke, and Kip S. Thorne, reflecting the collaborative spirit the center aims to foster. The building’s design facilitates this interaction, housing the Duan Family Institute for Fundamental Quantum Sciences, the Broadcom Quantum Laboratory, and the Sherman Fairchild Foundation-funded Kip Thorne Laboratories within its five stories, above underground labs. This configuration is intended to encourage interaction between theorists and experimentalists, sparking novel ideas and accelerating research in quantum precision science. Fiona Harrison, chair of Caltech’s Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, emphasized the intention to gather scientists across disciplines, sharing space and equipment to encourage interaction.
Researchers like Nelson Darkwah Oppong, studying optical atomic clocks capable of detecting minute changes in time, and Manuel Endres will occupy the space, alongside theorists such as Xie Chen. Caltech President Thomas F.
Today, when we toured the building, it was so beautiful beyond our dreams, and we’re so privileged to be involved with Caltech and everything you’ve done here.
Charlotte Ginsburg
Broadcom, Duan Family, and Fairchild Fund Quantum Hub
The newly dedicated Dr. Beyond the substantial philanthropic contributions of Dr. and Mrs. This financial backing underscores the perceived potential for practical applications stemming from fundamental quantum research. Thorne. “So, the question I asked is what was unique about the friendship between Walter Burke, Kip Thorne, and Caltech as an institution?” she stated during the dedication ceremony, emphasizing the mutual respect for accomplishments across different fields. This history culminated in the creation of the Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics, further cementing the foundation’s commitment to Caltech’s research endeavors. Broadcom’s involvement reflects a forward-looking perspective on the technological landscape. The physical consolidation of these research groups, previously scattered across campus, is intended to foster collaboration and accelerate discovery, capitalizing on the spontaneous interactions between theorists and experimentalists, as described by John Preskill.
The history of the collaboration between the foundation and Caltech is both long and varied. We have given over 36 grants since the 1970s.
LIGO’s Quantum Squeezing Advances Gravitational Wave Detection
The pursuit of ever more precise gravitational wave detection at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, or LIGO, recently benefited from a technique called frequency-dependent quantum squeezing, a development that exemplifies the growing field of quantum precision science now heavily concentrated within Caltech’s new Dr. LIGO, jointly managed by Caltech and MIT, first detected ripples in spacetime in 2015, but pushing the boundaries of sensitivity requires increasingly sophisticated methods to overcome the fundamental limits imposed by quantum mechanics. These limits introduce inherent uncertainties in measurements, effectively adding noise to the signal; quantum squeezing offers a way to redistribute that noise, reducing it in the most critical frequency ranges for detecting gravitational waves. This advanced technique allows researchers to skirt around these uncertainties and achieve the most precise measurements to date, crucial for detecting increasingly faint and distant gravitational wave sources.
Fiona Harrison was chair of Caltech’s Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy (PMA). The impetus for concentrating these efforts stems from the realization that quantum precision science isn’t limited to gravitational wave detection; it has broad implications for diverse fields. These clocks, oscillating hundreds of trillions of times per second, are not merely timekeepers but powerful tools for testing fundamental physics and improving technologies like satellite navigation. The insights gained from building these ultra-precise instruments are directly applicable to the development of quantum computers.
Having California Boulevard so close, with all its heavy traffic, was a challenge, but these labs are very quiet. You can’t hear or feel from the street at all.
Eugene Kim, Team Lead for Planning, Design, and Construction at Caltech
Quantum Precision Science Drives Atomic Clock Development
The pursuit of ever-more-precise timekeeping is no longer solely about accurate clocks; it is now a driving force behind fundamental advances in quantum science, with implications extending from gravitational wave detection to the development of future quantum computers. Within the newly dedicated Dr. This isn’t simply about building better clocks, but about harnessing the strange rules governing the quantum realm to unlock new insights into the universe. Central to this effort are optical atomic clocks, devices that utilize the natural resonance of atoms to define time. The sensitivity is such that a clock moved vertically by less than a tenth of an inch would register a measurable difference in the flow of time, a direct consequence of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
Researchers are now exploring how quantum computing techniques can further enhance the performance of these atomic clocks, and conversely, how the clocks themselves can contribute to the development of future quantum technologies. This synergistic approach exemplifies the core philosophy behind the Ginsburg Center: fostering collaboration between theorists and experimentalists to spark innovation. John Preskill, the Richard P. The focus extends beyond timekeeping to encompass broader applications of quantum precision, including investigations into quantum gravity and the behavior of entangled particles.
While chemistry and biology buildings are all about exhausting chemicals and fumes, this building and lab environment were built to be ultra stable.
Eugene Kim, Team Lead for Planning, Design, and Construction at Caltech
Voyager Mission & AI Inspire Quantum Computing Research
The pursuit of quantum computing, often framed as the next revolution in information technology, owes an unexpected debt to ventures far removed from silicon and code; ambitious, decades-long projects in space exploration and the recent surge in artificial intelligence are demonstrably shaping the field’s trajectory. This influence extends beyond mere financial support, fostering a collaborative spirit and a willingness to embrace long-term, high-risk research exemplified by missions like Voyager. Dr. Allen Ginsburg, a key benefactor of the new 70,000-square-foot Ginsburg Center for Quantum Precision Measurement at Caltech, explicitly linked his investment to Caltech’s legacy of ambitious projects. “It all really started with Caltech,” he said, referencing the Voyager mission’s twin probes launched by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and still communicating with Earth from interstellar space.
This connection isn’t simply nostalgic; the Voyager program, managed by Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, demanded sustained innovation across multiple disciplines, a model Ginsburg hopes to replicate within the quantum center. The facility, funded by Broadcom, the Duan Family, the Ginsburgs, and the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, aims to break down traditional academic silos. Caltech President Thomas F. The building’s design, incorporating shared interaction spaces atop state-of-the-art underground laboratories, physically embodies this commitment to collaboration. Beyond the legacy of space exploration, the current excitement surrounding artificial intelligence is also fueling investment and shaping expectations for quantum computing. This perspective suggests a shift in focus from short-term gains to foundational research with potentially transformative, albeit distant, applications.
By anchoring the entire facility to this single heavy foundation, we can completely neutralize surface vibrations and achieve an ultra-stable environment for quantum precision measurements.
Eugene Kim, Team Lead for Planning, Design, and Construction at Caltech
Source: https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/ginsburg-center-for-quantum-precision-hosts-dedication-ceremony
