About

Andrew Cleland is the John A. MacLean Sr. Professor of Molecular Engineering Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. He specializes in quantum information, with research efforts in quantum computing, quantum communication, and hybrid quantum systems. His work focuses on exploiting properties of quantum mechanical systems that cannot be duplicated in classical systems, including the use of quantum entanglement and superposition of quantum states. Cleland has been developing quantum information processors based on superconducting quantum circuits, aiming to assemble key elements for quantum computation that can outperform classical computers by many orders of magnitude. His research also encompasses quantum communication, where he aims to build secure communication systems based on quantum principles, relying on distant entanglement of photons to ensure unbreakable security. Additionally, Cleland has contributed to the development of hybrid quantum systems, notably combining superconducting quantum circuits with mechanical devices. He led the team that built the first quantum machine, a mechanical object whose behavior can only be described using quantum mechanics, an achievement recognized as the 'Breakthrough of the Year 2010' by Science magazine and a top-ten discovery of 2010 by Physics World. Cleland's academic background includes a bachelor's degree in engineering physics and a PhD in physics from the University of California, Berkeley, and research positions at the Centre d’Etudes-Orme des Merisiers in France and the California Institute of Technology. He joined the University of Chicago faculty in 2014 and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Physical Society.

Research topics

• Physics
• Quantum mechanics

Selected publications

• Efficient $n$-qubit entangling operations via a superconducting quantum router

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-04-16

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Quantum algorithms on near-term quantum processors are typically executed using shallow quantum circuits composed of one- and two-qubit gates. However, as circuit depth and gate number increase, gate imperfections and qubit decoherence begin to dominate, limiting algorithmic complexity. An alternative approach is to explore gates involving more than two qubits. In previous work (X. Wu et al., Physical Review X 14, 041030 (2024)), we demonstrated a new superconducting qubit architecture with user-selectable two-qubit interactions via a reconfigurable router, used to connect pairs of qubits. Here, we leverage this novel architecture to realize programmable and efficient multi-qubit operations involving more than two qubits, resulting in faster preparation of multi-qubit entangled states with good fidelities. We also successfully apply model-free reinforcement learning to perform multi-qubit gates, including training a two-qubit controlled-Z gate as well as three-qubit controlled-SWAP and controlled-controlled-phase (Fredkin and Toffoli) gates. Higher $n$th-order gates may also be feasible, using our high-connectivity router design. This could provide a more efficient and higher-fidelity implementation of complex quantum algorithms and a more practical approach to quantum computation.

  PublisherDOI

• The 2026 guided acoustic waves roadmap

  Journal of Physics D Applied Physics · 2026-03-02 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Guided elastic waves are a truly cross-disciplinary key enabling technology. For more than five decades, surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave devices find widespread applications. Nowadays, different types of guided elastic waves cover the wide spectrum of applications spanning from quantum technologies to the life sciences, from controlling single excitations to macroscopic collective states in condensed matter. Six years after the first 2019 SAW roadmap, we believe it is time to make a step back and take a fresh look at the status of the field and its future challenges. Since the first roadmap in 2019, the spectrum clearly expanded and this new edition presents a current snapshot of the status of this vibrant field and prospects for potential future developments.

  PublisherDOI

• Gigahertz-frequency Lamb wave resonator cavities on suspended lithium niobate for quantum acoustics

  ArXiv.org · 2026-01-20

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Phononic nanodevices offer a promising route toward quantum technologies, as phonons combine strong confinement within matter with broad coupling capabilities to various quantum systems. In particular, the piezoelectric response of materials such as lithium niobate enables coupling between superconducting qubits and gigahertz-frequency phonons. However, bulk lithium niobate phononic devices typically rely on surface acoustic waves and are therefore inherently subject to leakage from the surface into the bulk substrate. Here, we explore the acoustic behavior of resonator cavities supporting GHz-frequency Lamb waves in a 200 nm-thick suspended lithium niobate layer. We characterize the acoustic response at both room and millikelvin temperatures. We find that our resonator cavities with strong confinement reach intrinsic quality factors of approximately 6000 at the single phonon level. We use the measured parameters of the resonators to model their coupling to a superconducting transmon qubit, allowing us to evaluate their potential as quantum acoustic devices.

  PublisherOA PDF

• Large Language Model-Assisted Superconducting Qubit Experiments

  ArXiv.org · 2026-03-09

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Superconducting circuits have demonstrated significant potential in quantum information processing and quantum sensing. Implementing novel control and measurement sequences for superconducting qubits is often a complex and time-consuming process, requiring extensive expertise in both the underlying physics and the specific hardware and software. In this work, we introduce a framework that leverages a large language model (LLM) to automate qubit control and measurement. Specifically, our framework conducts experiments by generating and invoking schema-less tools on demand via a knowledge base on instrumental usage and experimental procedures. We showcase this framework with two experiments: an autonomous resonator characterization and a direct reproduction of a quantum non-demolition (QND) characterization of a superconducting qubit from literature. This framework enables rapid deployment of standard control-and-measurement protocols and facilitates implementation of novel experimental procedures, offering a more flexible and user-friendly paradigm for controlling complex quantum hardware.

  PublisherOA PDF

• Large Language Model-Assisted Superconducting Qubit Experiments

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-03-09

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Superconducting circuits have demonstrated significant potential in quantum information processing and quantum sensing. Implementing novel control and measurement sequences for superconducting qubits is often a complex and time-consuming process, requiring extensive expertise in both the underlying physics and the specific hardware and software. In this work, we introduce a framework that leverages a large language model (LLM) to automate qubit control and measurement. Specifically, our framework conducts experiments by generating and invoking schema-less tools on demand via a knowledge base on instrumental usage and experimental procedures. We showcase this framework with two experiments: an autonomous resonator characterization and a direct reproduction of a quantum non-demolition (QND) characterization of a superconducting qubit from literature. This framework enables rapid deployment of standard control-and-measurement protocols and facilitates implementation of novel experimental procedures, offering a more flexible and user-friendly paradigm for controlling complex quantum hardware.

  PublisherDOI

• Blueprint for experiments exploring the quantum recurrence theorem on a coupled multiqubit system

  Physical Review Research · 2026-02-23 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  The quantum form of the Poincaré recurrence theorem stipulates that a system with a time-independent Hamiltonian and discrete energy levels returns arbitrarily close to its initial state in a finite time. Qubit systems, being highly isolated from their dissipative surroundings, provide a possible experimental test bed for studying this theoretical construct. Here, we investigate an <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <a:mi>N</a:mi> </a:math> -qubit system, weakly coupled to its environment. We present quantitative analytical and numerical results on both the revival probability and time, and demonstrate that the system indeed returns arbitrarily close to its initial state, but in a time exponential in the number of qubits <b:math xmlns:b="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <b:mi>N</b:mi> </b:math> , with revival times that are astronomically large for systems with just a few tens of qubits. Given the lifetimes achievable in present-day superconducting multiqubit systems, we propose a realistic experimental test of this theory and its size scaling. This provides insights into how thermalization emerges in isolated quantum systems.

  PublisherDOI

• Efficient $n$-qubit entangling operations via a superconducting quantum router

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-04-16

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Quantum algorithms on near-term quantum processors are typically executed using shallow quantum circuits composed of one- and two-qubit gates. However, as circuit depth and gate number increase, gate imperfections and qubit decoherence begin to dominate, limiting algorithmic complexity. An alternative approach is to explore gates involving more than two qubits. In previous work (X. Wu et al., Physical Review X 14, 041030 (2024)), we demonstrated a new superconducting qubit architecture with user-selectable two-qubit interactions via a reconfigurable router, used to connect pairs of qubits. Here, we leverage this novel architecture to realize programmable and efficient multi-qubit operations involving more than two qubits, resulting in faster preparation of multi-qubit entangled states with good fidelities. We also successfully apply model-free reinforcement learning to perform multi-qubit gates, including training a two-qubit controlled-Z gate as well as three-qubit controlled-SWAP and controlled-controlled-phase (Fredkin and Toffoli) gates. Higher $n$th-order gates may also be feasible, using our high-connectivity router design. This could provide a more efficient and higher-fidelity implementation of complex quantum algorithms and a more practical approach to quantum computation.

  PublisherOA PDF

• Gigahertz-frequency Lamb wave resonator cavities on suspended lithium niobate for quantum acoustics

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-01-20

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Phononic nanodevices offer a promising route toward quantum technologies, as phonons combine strong confinement within matter with broad coupling capabilities to various quantum systems. In particular, the piezoelectric response of materials such as lithium niobate enables coupling between superconducting qubits and gigahertz-frequency phonons. However, bulk lithium niobate phononic devices typically rely on surface acoustic waves and are therefore inherently subject to leakage from the surface into the bulk substrate. Here, we explore the acoustic behavior of resonator cavities supporting GHz-frequency Lamb waves in a 200 nm-thick suspended lithium niobate layer. We characterize the acoustic response at both room and millikelvin temperatures. We find that our resonator cavities with strong confinement reach intrinsic quality factors of approximately 6000 at the single phonon level. We use the measured parameters of the resonators to model their coupling to a superconducting transmon qubit, allowing us to evaluate their potential as quantum acoustic devices.

  PublisherDOI

• Nanoscale Mechanical Structures Fabricated from Silicon-on-Insulator Substrates

  ArXiv.org · 2025-05-07

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  We describe a method with which to fabricate sub-micron mechanical structures from silicon-on-insulator substrates. We believe this is the first reported method for such fabrication, and our technique allows for complex, multilayer electron beam lithography to define metallized layers and structural Si layers on these substrates. The insulating underlayer may be removed by a straightforward wet processing step, leaving suspended single crystal Si mechanical structures. We have fabricated and mechanically tested structures such as beam resonators, tuning-fork resonators, and torsional oscillators, all with smallest dimensions of 0.1-0.2 microns and fundamental resonance frequencies above 10 MHz.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A blueprint for experiments exploring the Poincaré quantum recurrence theorem

  ArXiv.org · 2025-08-19 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen access

  The quantum form of the Poincaré recurrence theorem stipulates that a system with a time-independent Hamiltonian and discrete energy levels returns arbitrarily close to its initial state in a finite time. Qubit systems, being highly isolated from their dissipative surroundings, provide a possible experimental testbed for studying this theoretical construct. Here we investigate a $N$-qubit system, weakly coupled to its environment. We present quantitative analytical and numerical results on both the revival probability and time, and demonstrate that the system indeed returns arbitrarily close to its initial state in a time exponential in the number of qubits $N$. The revival times become astronomically large for systems with just a few tens of qubits. Given the lifetimes achievable in present-day superconducting multi-qubit systems, we propose a realistic experimental test of the theory and scaling of Poincaré revivals. Our study of quantum recurrence provides new insight into how thermalization emerges in isolated quantum systems.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• John M. Martinis

  176 shared

• Erik Lucero

  Google (United States)

  101 shared

• D. Sank

  Google (United States)

  101 shared

• M. Neeley

  88 shared

• Étienne Dumur

  Institut polytechnique de Grenoble

  86 shared

• Radoslaw C. Bialczak

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  83 shared

• J. Wenner

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  82 shared

• Rhys Povey

  74 shared

Labs

• Andrew Cleland LabPI

Awards & honors

• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sc…
• Fellow of the American Physical Society
• Olli V. Lounasmaa Memorial Prize (2025)
• Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer (2017-18)
• APS Kavli Lecturer (2017)