Status and Future of Quantum Sensors for High Energy Physics

Many topics in modern physics require the search for matter and fields weakly coupled to the Standard Model. These topics include dark matter, dark energy, gravity, variation in fundamental constants, and probes of problems in the Standard Model such as the Strong CP problem in QCD. Breakthroughs in Quantum Information Science in recent years have provided new capabilities to prepare, measure, and manipulate quantum states, and have led to advances in the sensitivity of instruments that can be used to probe high energy physics. I will briefly overview the status of the development of new quantum sensing technology for high-energy physics experiments, including quantum sensors based on superconducting qubits and continuous-variables quantum devices, quantum materials and spin ensembles, and atomic and optomechanical sensors. I will also discuss the contribution of some older technologies including transition-edge sensors and superconducting nanowire detectors in quantum contexts.

I will focus in particular on the search for QCD axion dark matter, which illustrates both the necessity of quantum sensing in high energy physics, and its feasibility. I will describe how a full search of the QCD axion band is impossible without new quantum sensing technology, but is possible over the next twenty years with a focused effort of the full community, and the use of multiple quantum techniques to search different axion masses.