A research consortium from TU Delft and Leiden University has received a 35 million euro NWO Summit Grant to investigate the fundamental limits of quantum physics. The project, led by Lieven Vandersypen of QuTech, will explore the behavior of quantum systems at the nanoscale, aiming to answer questions about the size limit of the quantum domain and the potential for new technological breakthroughs. The consortium has a history of joint work and community building of over twenty years. The grant will allow them to leverage investments in infrastructure and build-up of know-how from the Quantum Delta NL program.
NWO Summit Grant Awarded for Quantum Physics Research
A research consortium from TU Delft and Leiden University has been awarded a 35 million euro NWO Summit Grant. The grant is intended to support their ongoing research into the fundamental limits of quantum physics. This consortium is one of five from various Dutch universities that will collectively receive a total of 188 million euros. The funding aims to bolster the position of Dutch science on the global stage.
The NWO Summit Grant is designed for research consortia that have demonstrated their potential to contribute significantly to their respective fields of science. The awarded projects span a variety of scientific disciplines and have proven their worth by providing essential insights into their respective fields. The interdisciplinary teams are now given the opportunity to pursue their projects with long-term support, thereby contributing to the generation of new knowledge for society.
Exploring the Quantum Limits
The research project funded by the grant aims to investigate the fundamental limits on physical processes imposed by the laws of quantum mechanics. The team will explore the behavior of quantum systems at the nanoscale, seeking answers to questions such as the size limit of the quantum domain, the maximum complexity of a system in quantum superposition, and the potential quantum granularity of space and time. The answers to these questions could pave the way for groundbreaking fundamental or technological breakthroughs.
Lieven Vandersypen, the lead applicant and scientific director at QuTech, expressed his excitement about the grant. He acknowledged the gaps in our current understanding of quantum theory and expressed confidence in the consortium’s ability to address these challenges. The consortium, he said, is well-balanced and possesses expertise across all relevant disciplines. They plan to work collaboratively on specific topics with other members of the consortium and new researchers they will attract.
A History of Collaboration and Innovation
The Delft-Leiden consortium has a history of joint work and community building spanning more than twenty years. This includes large joint research projects funded by an ERC Synergy and two large Dutch Gravitation programs. The consortium has also established a joint graduate school with specialized PhD level courses, spring schools, and a new joint MSc program in QIST. Two of the co-investigators were instrumental in the national agenda for quantum technology and the Quantum Delta NL program. The consortium plans to leverage the investments in infrastructure and build-up of know-how from this program in their Quantum Limits research.
About the NWO Summit Grant
The Summit Grant is a funding instrument for scientific collaborations from diverse scientific fields. The grant aims to promote research of exceptional quality and achieve major breakthroughs. The breakthrough should mark a significant shift, advance, or insight in relation to existing ideas and methods, conceptual frameworks, tools, or technologies.
A Second NWO Summit Grant for TU Delft
In addition to the Quantum Limits project, colleagues at TU Delft will also receive an NWO Summit Grant to answer the question: “what is life?” The EVOLF consortium plans to build a living synthetic cell from lifeless biomolecules, possessing core properties of life such as autonomous growth, replication, communication, and evolution. The project will also establish ethical guidelines for the responsible development of synthetic life. The lead applicant of this grant is Cees Dekker from TU Delft, in collaboration with other colleagues from the TU Delft, AMOLF, and Radboud University.
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