Fundamental Physical Science

The Quantum Orbital Resonance Spectroscopy (QORS) program will lay the scientific foundation for novel neurodiagnostic capabilities by combining recent advances in quantum photonics with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy (MRI/MRS). QORS seeks to measure changes in neurochemical concentrations—seen in a range of neurological conditions injuries—without the large, super-conducting magnet used in traditional MRI and MRS, thus leading to the development of a noninvasive, compact neurodiagnostic for assessing traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Department of Defense requires secure communications, but the broad availability of advanced communications technology possessed by adversaries makes it increasingly difficult to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of DoD information. The science of quantum communications—in which single photons from entangled photon pairs are transmitted over a distance—offers the possibility of unconditionally secure communication because the act of measuring a quantum object changes it. For quantum communications to be practical, however, several technological barriers must be overcome.

For decades, miniaturizing electronics has been key to a wide array of technology innovations and an important economic driver. As an example, the seemingly endless shrinking of the transistor has allowed the semiconductor industry to place ever more devices on the same amount of silicon. Each time the size decreased, transistors became faster and used less power, allowing increasingly capable electronics in smaller packages at reduced cost.

Dr. Elizabeth Strychalski joined DARPA in 2015 as a Program Manager in the Biological Technologies Office. She is interested in applying insights and methods from physics, control theory, and mathematics to understand complex biological systems and transform environments.

Dr. Michael Fiddy joined DARPA as a program manager in the Defense Sciences Office in September 2016. His current interests include fundamental studies of wave-matter interactions from RF to visible light frequencies. Advancing scattering and inverse scattering methods for multiple scattering media leads to new imaging techniques and tools to synthesize 2-D and 3-D materials and structures, including those with sub-wavelength features.