[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61279-61280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27877]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Science, Office of High Energy Physics; Request for 
Information: Impacts From and to Quantum Information Science in High 
Energy Physics

AGENCY: Office of High Energy Physics, Office of Science, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice of request for information (RFI).

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SUMMARY: The Office of High Energy Physics (HEP) in the Department of 
Energy (DOE) invites interested parties to provide input on topical 
areas in which progress in quantum information science can inform high 
energy physics, and on contributions that the high energy physics 
community can make to advancing quantum information science.

DATES: Written comments and information are requested on or before 
February 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may submit comments by email only. 
Comments must be sent to [email protected] with the subject 
line ``Quantum Information Science and HEP RFI''. Any attachments must 
be in one of the following formats: ASCII; Word; RTF; or PDF.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
may be submitted to Dr. Lali Chatterjee, (301) 903-0435, [email protected] or Dr. Altaf H. Carim, (301) 903-9564, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Quantum information science (QIS) 
encompasses novel approaches to fundamental science and to applications 
such as sensing, communications, simulation, and computing that are 
enabled by understanding and manipulation of the uniquely quantum 
phenomena of superposition, entanglement, and squeezing. Within high 
energy physics, DOE's emphasis is on employing new perspectives and 
capabilities offered or enabled by QIS to address the science drivers 
identified by the community in the May 2014 ``Building for Discovery'' 
report of the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5).\1\ 
Focus areas include quantum computing and foundational QIS, quantum 
sensor technology, and novel experiments exploiting quantum 
entanglement. QIS methods and concepts are proving increasingly 
important in advancing fundamental understanding in, e.g., the search 
for dark matter, emergence of space-time, and the black hole 
information paradox. Likewise, these advances contribute to development 
of QIS including quantum error correction and thermalization. Because 
the field is interdisciplinary and progressing rapidly, effective 
research programs may require collaborative groups with appropriate 
combinations of knowledge, capabilities, and experience in quantum 
information, particle physics, and/or other related fields. Several DOE 
HEP reports provide additional information pertaining to QIS impacts on 
and from HEP.2 3 4
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    \1\ https://science.energy.gov/~/media/hep/hepap/pdf/May-2014/
FINAL_P5_Report_Interactive_060214.pdf.
    \2\ HEP-ASCR Study Group Report, Grand Challenges at the 
Interface of Quantum Information Science, Particle Physics, and 
Computing, 2015, https://science.energy.gov/~/media/hep/pdf/files/
BannerPDFs/QIS_Study_Group_Report.pdf.
    \3\ HEP-BES roundtable report, ``Common Problems in Condensed 
Matter and High Energy Physics'', 2015, https://science.energy.gov/
~/media/hep/pdf/Reports/HEP-BES_Roundtable_Report.pdf.
    \4\ HEP-ASCR QIS roundtable report, ``Quantum Sensors at the 
Intersections of Fundamental Science, QIS and Computing'', 2016, 
http://science.energy.gov/~/media/hep/pdf/Reports/
DOE_Quantum_Sensors_Report.pdf.
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    The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of High Energy Physics in 
the Office of Science seeks input from stakeholders regarding potential 
research and development in QIS that addresses scientific and 
technological needs in high energy physics, and regarding capabilities 
in the high energy physics community that could contribute to the 
advancement of QIS. The information received in response to this RFI 
will inform and be considered by the Office of High Energy Physics in 
program planning and development. Please note that this RFI is not a 
Funding Opportunity Announcement, a Request for Proposal, or other form 
of solicitation or bid of DOE to fund potential research and 
development work in QIS.
    Request for information: The objective of this request for 
information is to gather input about opportunities for research and 
development at the intersection of quantum information science and high 
energy physics, to inform Federal efforts in this area. The questions 
below are intended to assist in the formulation of comments, and should 
not be considered as a limitation on either the number or the issues 
that may be addressed in such comments.
    The DOE Office of High Energy Physics is specifically interested in 
receiving input pertaining to any of the following questions:

(1) Fundamental Science

    What are the key questions, opportunities, needs, and challenges 
for QIS to contribute to progress in the following topics? What kinds 
of experiments or calculations are needed to advance understanding? How 
can research in these areas contribute to the advancement of QIS?
a. Quantum gravity and emergence of space-time
b. Tensor networks, gauge symmetries, and field theories

[[Page 61280]]

c. Holographic correspondence and black hole physics
d. Dark matter, dark energy, and physics beyond the Standard Model
e. Analog simulation and emulation of quantum systems of interest to 
particle physics

(2) Devices, Tools, Approaches, and Techniques

    What developments are needed, are on the horizon, or can be 
envisioned in the following areas? How will they contribute to high 
energy physics? How can high energy physics expertise, resources, or 
capabilities in these or other areas contribute to broader advances in 
quantum information science?
a. Quantum sensors exploiting superposition, entanglement, and/or 
squeezing
b. Supporting technologies (superconducting radio frequency cavities, 
cryogenics, fast feedback and control systems, etc.)
c. Data analysis and background reduction
d. Machine learning and optimization
e. Algorithm development
f. Error correction and measurement

(3) Organizational and Assessment Considerations

a. What metrics could be applied to evaluate progress of the field and 
assess impacts of Federal investments?
b. What are key obstacles, impediments, or bottlenecks to advancing 
research at the intersection of QIS and HEP?
c. What mix of institutions (industrial, academic, lab) could best 
carry out the envisioned research and/or development, and who should 
drive the formulation of such efforts?
d. What collaboration models would be most effective for pursuing joint 
R&D?
e. What resources at DOE National Laboratories would be beneficial for 
and could accelerate or facilitate research in this topic?
f. Are there other factors, not addressed by the questions above, which 
should be considered in planning DOE HEP activities in this subject 
area?
    Comments containing references, studies, research, and other 
empirical data that are not widely published should include copies of 
the referenced materials. Note that comments will be made publicly 
available as submitted. Any information that may be confidential and 
exempt by law from public disclosure should be submitted as described 
below.
    Confidential Business Information: Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any 
person submitting information he or she believes to be confidential and 
exempt by law from public disclosure should submit via email: One copy 
of the document marked ``confidential'' including all the information 
believed to be confidential, and one copy of the document marked ``non-
confidential'' with the information believed to be confidential 
deleted. DOE will make its own determination about the confidential 
status of the information and treat it according to its determination. 
Factors of interest to DOE when evaluating requests to treat submitted 
information as confidential include: (1) A description of the items; 
(2) whether and why such items are customarily treated as confidential 
within the industry; (3) whether the information is generally known by 
or available from other sources; (4) whether the information has 
previously been made available to others without obligation concerning 
confidentiality; (5) an explanation of the competitive injury to the 
submitting person which would result from public disclosure; (6) when 
such information might lose its confidential character due to the 
passage of time; and (7) why disclosure of the information would be 
contrary to the public interest.
    Depending on the response to this RFI, subsequent workshops or 
other activities may be held to further explore and elaborate the 
opportunities.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 18, 2017.
James Siegrist,
Associate Director of Science for High Energy Physics.
[FR Doc. 2017-27877 Filed 12-26-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P