Professor Tom Stace

Professor

School of Mathematics and Physics
Faculty of Science
stace@physics.uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 51868

Overview

Professor Stace completed his PhD at the Cavendish Lab, University of Cambridge in the UK on quantum computing, followed by postdoctoral research at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, also at Cambridge, and Queens' College, Cambridge. Since 2006, he has held various ARC research fellowships, most recently a Future Fellowship (2015-2019).

His research topics include device physics for quantum computing solid-state and atomic systems, quantum error correction, and quantum measurement and precision sensing.

Professor Stace is the Deputy Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Engineered Quantum Systems (equs.org).

Research Interests

  • Quantum Error Correction
    Q: How do we fix errors in quantum systems? A: By using quantum error correcting codes. My group works on the theory of quantum error correction, including topological codes, holographic codes, and foliated codes − each of which offers pathways towards large scale quantum computers.
  • Quantum Devices
    Q: What will we build quantum technologies out of? A: Devices that have quantum physics at their core. My group develops the theory of solid-state and atomic quantum devices for qubits, circulators, microwave systems, and quantum sensors.

Research Impacts

Prof Stace has written for a variety of outlets including the ABC on quantum threats to cybersecurity, the Conversation on flux capacitors, quantum error correction, and quantum thermometry, as well as the Australian Financial Review. He is an inventor on 4 provisional patents, and is available to consult to business, government and non-profit sectors on quantum technologies.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Western Australia
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Engineering, University of Western Australia

Publications

  • Mauron, Caroline, Farrelly, Terry and Stace, Thomas M (2024). Optimization of Tensor Network Codes with Reinforcement Learning. New Journal of Physics, 26 (2), 023024. doi: 10.1088/1367-2630/ad23a6

  • Stace, Thomas M., Chen, Jiayin, Li, Li, Perunicic, Viktor S., Carvalho, Andre R. R., Hush, Michael, Valahu, Christophe H., Tan, Ting Rei and Biercuk, Michael J. (2024). Optimized Bayesian system identification in quantum devices. Physical Review Applied, 21 (1) 014012. doi: 10.1103/physrevapplied.21.014012

  • Mundada, Pranav S., Barbosa, Aaron, Maity, Smarak, Wang, Yulun, Merkh, Thomas, Stace, T. M., Nielson, Felicity, Carvalho, Andre R. R., Hush, Michael, Biercuk, Michael J. and Baum, Yuval (2023). Experimental benchmarking of an automated deterministic error-suppression workflow for quantum algorithms. Physical Review Applied, 20 (2) 024034, 1-20. doi: 10.1103/physrevapplied.20.024034

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Grants

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Supervision

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Available Projects

  • Quantum processors will suffer from errors arising from noise. This problem can be fixed using error correcting codes, which redundantly encode quantum information in a way that enables its recovery in the event that errors occur. How do we make and implement better codes in quantum systems? We take inspiration from information theory and other areas of quantum physics, including cosmology, to design codes that are resilient against noise. Please make contact if you are interested in pursuing research in this area.

  • Building practical quantum technologies is hard. We develop new approaches to quantum devices and physics, including superconducting qubits and devices that break time-reversal symmetry to bring quantum technologies to reality. Applications for such systems include high precision sensing, quantum simulators and photosynthesis. If you are an exceptional student looking to study for your Honours, Masters or PhD at the cutting edge of physics and technology, then please get in touch.

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Publications

Book Chapter

  • De Pasquale, Antonella and Stace, Thomas M. (2018). Quantum thermometry. Thermodynamics in the Quantum Regime . (pp. 503-527) edited by Felix Binder, Luis A. Correa, Christian Gogolin, Janet Anders and Gerardo Adesso. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-99046-0_21

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

Completed Supervision

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.

  • Quantum processors will suffer from errors arising from noise. This problem can be fixed using error correcting codes, which redundantly encode quantum information in a way that enables its recovery in the event that errors occur. How do we make and implement better codes in quantum systems? We take inspiration from information theory and other areas of quantum physics, including cosmology, to design codes that are resilient against noise. Please make contact if you are interested in pursuing research in this area.

  • Building practical quantum technologies is hard. We develop new approaches to quantum devices and physics, including superconducting qubits and devices that break time-reversal symmetry to bring quantum technologies to reality. Applications for such systems include high precision sensing, quantum simulators and photosynthesis. If you are an exceptional student looking to study for your Honours, Masters or PhD at the cutting edge of physics and technology, then please get in touch.