Philip Richerme, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Physics , Indiana University Bloomington 

 

2024 Experimental Physics Investigator

Philip Richerme, Ph.D.
Image Credit: Kirkwood Photo
 

Research Description

How do we leverage the deep physical analogies between existing quantum algorithms and chemical dynamics problems to perform powerful quantum computations of molecular processes? Such processes underlie catalytic transformations of global importance, including the reduction of CO2 (critical to converting this greenhouse gas to useful feedstocks), artificial photosynthesis, and nitrogen fixation.

To address this topic, Philip Richerme’s group will proceed with two research directions in parallel: 1. formalize the encoding of chemical dynamics problems of increasing complexity onto ion-trap quantum hardware, using the specific structure of Shor’s quantum factoring algorithm. 2.develop a state-of-the-art experimental apparatus that is custom-tailored to implement their chemical dynamics algorithms.

Research Impact

Dr. Richerme aims to provide the first known path towards calculating chemical dynamics processes using quantum hardware. Since these problems are believed to be classically unsolvable, demonstrating and validating a scalable quantum approach would represent a paradigm shift for computational chemistry, with further implications for system-bath problems in molecular or condensed-phase quantum dynamics, chemical sensing, and catalyst design.

 
 

related links

Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative Science Indiana University Bloomington, Department of Physics Back

Education

PhD, Harvard University
MS, Harvard University
BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Affiliated Investigators