Quantum Engineering in the Undergraduate Laboratory: Quantum Foundations and Applications of Quantum Information Science

The applications of quantum mechanics to computing, communication, and sensing may constitute a revolution in technology. Providing exposure to applied quantum engineering in the undergraduate is critical to ensuring the development of the "quantum workforce." The first phase of this project designs, builds, and characterizes the first entangled photon source available to undergraduates at the U.S. Naval Academy. Entanglement is a critical aspect of quantum technology, but entangled systems behave in strange ways that are counterintuitive to our classical view of the world. This project seeks to analyze its behavior and the concept of local realism through experimental verification, followed by utilizing these properties for various applications such as quantum cryptography.