The U.S. Department of Energy has announced renewed funding for two major quantum research centers based in the Chicago area. Q-NEXT, led by Argonne National Laboratory, and SQMS, hosted by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, will each receive $125 million over the next five years. Both laboratories are affiliated with the University of Chicago and include faculty and scientists from the university.
Established in 2020 as part of five Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Centers under the National Quantum Initiative Act, both Q-NEXT and SQMS play a central role in Illinois’ expanding quantum ecosystem. This ecosystem includes not only the two national labs but also the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, other academic institutions, the Chicago Quantum Exchange, and several quantum-focused companies.
Last month, leaders broke ground on the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park to support scale-up efforts in quantum technology and advanced microelectronics research. The DOE’s renewal announcement was made during the eighth annual Chicago Quantum Summit.
“Quantum information science is a cornerstone of the nation’s technological future, with the potential to transform industries including computing, health care and national security,” said Prof. David Awschalom, inaugural director of Q-NEXT and current chief science officer at Argonne. Awschalom also serves as director of quantum engineering at UChicago PME and leads the Chicago Quantum Exchange.
Q-NEXT aims to advance quantum information by integrating quantum and traditional systems across optical networks. The center unites two national labs, 11 universities, and six tech companies. Among its achievements are setting a record five-second lifetime for a qubit in silicon carbide; creating a high-performance niobium-based qubit; developing methods to detect magnetic field correlations with quantum sensors; and publishing “A Roadmap for Quantum Interconnects,” outlining needed research for distributing quantum information within 10 to 15 years.
Building on these results, Q-NEXT will focus on demonstrating distributed quantum entanglement—where qubits remain connected even when separated by long distances.
“With a renewed Q-NEXT, we will continue to play an integral role in the national quantum ecosystem through coordinated, complementary efforts with DOE’s other quantum research centers,” said Paul Kearns, director of Argonne National Laboratory. “We are committed to realizing the promise of quantum information to build a more connected world and shape a future of scientific progress that strengthens our nation’s security, prosperity and technological leadership.”
The SQMS Center draws on Fermilab’s background in superconducting radio-frequency cavities—a technology originally developed for particle accelerators—and focuses on advancing next-generation quantum computing, communication, and sensing technologies. More than 300 experts from 43 partner organizations participate in this work.
SQMS has made progress in extending coherence times—the duration a qubit can hold information reliably—through innovations in materials and architecture. It has also contributed advances in quantum sensing with new methods for dark-matter searches and precision measurements.
“In just five years, SQMS has transformed fundamental understanding into tangible progress — from record-setting coherence times to new materials and devices that redefine what’s possible in quantum technology,” said Anna Grassellino, director of SQMS Center. “This renewal allows us to build on that foundation and take the next leap: moving from discovery to deployment. Together with our partners across national labs, universities and industry, we’re poised to scale quantum systems to a level that will unlock powerful new tools for science, technology and society.”
“The SQMS Center exemplifies how DOE’s national labs bring together multidisciplinary teams to tackle grand scientific challenges,” said Young-Kee Kim, interim director of Fermilab and Louis Block Distinguished Service Professor of Physics at UChicago. “Its advances will help secure U.S. leadership in the global race to develop practical quantum technologies.”
Further details about these centers can be found through news releases from the U.S. Department of Energy, Argonne National Laboratory, and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.