For decades, Boulder has been an internationalleader in quantum physics, and in transforming quantum research breakthroughs into real-world applications—from lasers that detect methane in the air to new microscopes that can probe the world in never-before-seen detail. Over its 60-year history, JILA—a joint Institute between Boulder and NIST—has boasted four NobelPrize winners. Learn more about our latest quantum science and research discoveries.

Taxies drive down a crowded city street

A real-life Eye of Sauron? New project to spot possible chemical threats in the air

April 2, 2024

Engineers at Boulder are developing an “all-seeing eye” based on laser technology that could one day detect harmful particles in the air around cities or in factories.

oil and gas operation

LongPath Technologies, a Boulder spinout, leads on methane detection

Feb. 20, 2024

LongPath is harnessing quantum technology to detect methane emissions from oil and gas operations, innovation that benefits industry and investors—and the planet.

 President Todd Saliman and Gov. Jared Polis, among others, at the quantum press conference

State leaders announce legislation to accelerate Colorado’s quantum ecosystem, build on Boulder legacy

Feb. 16, 2024

Gov. Jared Polis unveiled plans to invest $74 million in Colorado’s quantum ecosystem. The new refundable tax credit program aims to maximize the state’s competitiveness as a tech hub—including Boulder, already a global leader in quantum research and innovation—to win an additional $70 million in federal funding.

Illustration of a quantum workforce

Boulder-convened Quantum Community Coalition unveils vision for ‘quantum-ready workforce’

Feb. 9, 2024

A statewide coalition of higher education and industry partners has outlined a detailed vision for Colorado to translate its legacy as a national leader in quantum information science and technology into workforce development and educational opportunities.

an illustration of atomic dipoles on a lattice

Observing a new-clock systematic shift

Feb. 2, 2024

In a new study, physics professor Jun Ye and his research team have taken a significant step in understanding the intricate and collective light-atom interactions within atomic clocks, the most precise clocks in the universe.

Daniel Salvetti greets Colorado Governor Jared Polis

Semiconductor forum highlights Boulder’s leadership in advancing technology, workforce

Feb. 1, 2024

A broad coalition of stakeholders gathered at Boulder on Jan. 25 to celebrate the state and university’s key roles in sustaining a vibrant semiconductor ecosystem and to discuss how to shape its future.

illustration of dynamic phases of BCS superconductor interactions in a Cavity QED

Unveiling dynamic superconductivity

Jan. 30, 2024

As reported in a new Nature paper, the theory and experiment teams of JILA and NIST Fellows Ana Maria Rey and James Thompson, in collaboration with others, simulated superconductivity under such excited conditions using an atom-cavity system.

Cream swirls around a glass of iced coffee

What coffee with cream can teach us about quantum physics

Jan. 24, 2024

A new advancement in theoretical physics could, one day, help engineers develop new kinds of computer chips that might store information for long periods of time in very small objects.

atomic clock

A tale of two clocks: Advancing the precision of timekeeping

Jan. 18, 2024

Professor Jun Ye’s team, in collaboration with JILA and NIST Fellow James Thompson, has used a specific process known as spin squeezing to generate quantum entanglement, resulting in an enhancement in clock performance.

Colorful microscopic image of a regularly repeating pattern

‘Doughnut’ beams help physicists see incredibly small objects

Dec. 4, 2023

A new laser-based technique can create images of structures too tiny to view with traditional microscopes, and without damaging them. The approach could help scientists inspect nanoelectronics, including the semiconductors in computer chips.

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