Underground Quantum Technologies at the Edgar Mine

Colorado is emerging as the national Quantum Technology hub in the US and beyond. Recently, the Colorado Underground Research Institute (CURIE) was founded in the Edgar Mine. This VIPER Program focusses on advancing quantum technologies at milliKelvin temperatures, with levitation nanosperes, and by understanding the cosmogenic particles. Its projects are located in a prototyping lab in Coortek and a performance benchmarking facility 200m undergorund near Idaho Springs, both to-be equipped with dilution refrigerators and quantum control equipment.

o Developing advanced superconducting technologies and low-threshold detectors.
o Conducting research in a unique low-background environment deep underground.
o Focusing on applications in fundamental physics, such as neutrino characteristics, dark matter detection, and cosmogenic particle showers.
o Advancing quantum information science through improved superconducting circuits and sensors.
o Developing a benchmark facility for qubit array performance.

Our Strategy

o Utilizing the low-background environment of the Edgar Experimental Mine with reduced cosmic rays, vibration, magnetic fields, and electromagnetic disturbances.
o Deploying a custom low-vibration dilution refrigerator and associated cryogenic infrastructure.
o Implementing passive shielding and active muon tagging systems.
o Developing and testing sensitive cryogenic sensors (TESs, STJs, MMCs, MKIDs) and other superconducting devices (qubits, amplifiers, mixers).
o Researching and implementing advanced quantum-limited microwave readout techniques and multiplexing for large detector arrays.
o Collaborating with experts at national labs (NIST, PNNL, Los Alamos, Sandia), other universities, and industry partners (Maybell Quantum, STAR Cryoelectronics).

Our Impact

o Potential contributions to discoveries in particle physics and fundamental science (e.g., neutrino mass, dark matter, BSM physics).
o Accelerating the development of cutting-edge quantum technologies.
o Providing hands-on experience with state-of-the-art cryogenic and quantum technologies.
o Preparing students for high-demand careers in the growing Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) workforce.
o Establishing a unique research facility that will attract national and international collaborators.
o Enabling potential applications in nuclear monitoring, space communication, and medical sensing.

Apply to this VIPER Team

Our Team

Advisor Wouter Van De Pontseele

wouter.vandepontseele@mines.edu

Advisor Eric Mayotte

emayotte@mines.edu

Advisor Uwe Greife

ugreife@mines.edu

Advisor Kyle Leach

kleach@mines.edu

 

 

 

Our Website

WEBSITE

Preferred Majors to Recruit

Computer Science

Electrical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Physics