Minnich Group
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Welcome to the
Minnich Group
Our group develops microwave and millimeter-wave instrumentation for applications in radio astronomy and quantum information science. We work at the intersection of engineering, materials science, and physics.
Group News
Austin's work on thermal conductivity in BaTiS3 is covered in Science Daily, phys.org, and Chemistry World.
Jan. 5, 2021
Latest publications
Happenings
Erika successfully defends her thesis!
Congratulations Dr. Ye!
Mar. 22, 2021
Congratulations to Benjamin for being selected for a NASA Space Technology Fellowship!
Apr. 2, 2021
Austin's talk on Finite-Temperature Dynamics of Spin Systems on Near-Term Quantum Hardware available through the Quantum Computing Seminar Series here.
Mar. 12, 2021
Alex, Peishi, and Benjamin publish paper on calculating electronic noise in semiconductors from first-principles.
Apr. 6, 2021
Hirsh and Shi-Ning submit paper on digital quantum simulation of open quantum systems using quantum imaginary time evolution.
Apr. 19, 2021
Austin publishes paper on ultralow/glass-like thermal conductivity in chalcogenide single crystals.
Nov. 27, 2020
Congratulations to Austin for being named the 2020 Viskanta Fellow at Purdue University!
Jan. 7, 2021
Research
Answering fundamental questions in physics and cosmology requires precision in measurement at or beyond the standard limits imposed by quantum mechanics. Our group’s overarching goal is to advance the science and technology of measurement that allows these questions to be answered. Our present research is divided into three thrusts.
Low noise transistor microwave amplifiers
We are developing transistor microwave amplifiers used in radio astronomy and other fields that operate near the standard quantum limit of noise. Read more here.
Transport and fluctuation phenomena in semiconductors
We are advancing ab-initio methods to compute high-field transport and fluctuation phenomena in solids without any adjustable parameters. Read more here.
Quantum simulation
We are developing algorithms for quantum simulation on near-term quantum hardware as well as examining how theoretical proposals for error correction schemes perform on near-term devices in the presence of non-idealities such as cross-talk. Read more here.
Principal Investigator
Austin J. Minnich
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Physics
Professional Preparation
BS University of California Berkeley, 2006
MS Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008
PhD Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011
Appointments
Professor, California Institute of Technology, 2017-Present
Assistant Professor, California Institute of Technology, 2011-2017
Click here for a copy of Austin's CV
Current group members
HBS, Oregon State University Research interests: Low-noise amplifiers, atomic layer etching Joined group: 2021
BS, University of British Columbia Research interests: Quantum simulation, quantum error correction. Joined group: 2020
BS, University of Chicago Research interests: Quantum simulation, quantum algorithms Joined group: 2019
BS, University of Texas at Arlington Research interests: Electronic fluctuations, low-noise amplifiers. Joined group: 2019
BS, Georgia Tech Research interests: First-principles hot electron noise in semiconductors. Joined group: 2019
BS, National University of Singapore Research interests: Quantum simulation, quantum algorithms. Joined group: 2018
BS, Georgia Tech Research interests: Electron transport in heterojunction bipolar transistors, low-noise amplifiers. Joined group: 2018
BSE, University of Connecticut Research interests: Charge transport and fluctuations in semiconductors, low-noise amplifiers. Joined group: 2017
BS, University of Florida Research interests: First-principles hot electron noise in semiconductors. Joined group: 2016
BS, University of Science and Technology of China Research interests: Ab initio wavefunction methods, tensor networks. Joined group: 2017
BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research interests: Quantum dynamics, tensor networks. Joined group: 2016
BS, University of Connecticut Research interests: Cell-free expression, synthetic cells, trans-membrane channels. Joined group: 2016
Click here to see our group alumni.
Teaching
Winter 2021
Ae/ME 118: Classical Thermodynamics
Fundamentals of classical thermodynamics. Basic postulates and laws of thermodynamics, work and heat, entropy and available work, equations of state, thermodynamic potentials, chemical and phase equilibrium, phase transitions, and thermodynamic properties of solids, liquids, and gases. The course will end with various advanced topics TBD.