Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) awarded Harvard College a $550,000 CAREER grant on June 15, 2026, to develop integrated-photonics spatial light modulators for quantum control and advanced imaging applications. The primary deliverable is an innovative photonic platform that combines a solid-state gain laser array, high-speed electro-optic modulators, a two-dimensional beam-emitter array, and flat metasurface lenses to generate and individually control large arrays of optical beams in free space. This integrated system will extend operational wavelengths from the telecom band into the visible spectrum, enabling precise electromagnetic wave manipulation at visible and near-infrared wavelengths to support scalable quantum hardware control and next-generation molecular and neural imaging techniques.

Beyond the core photonic hardware development, the research effort will contribute to emerging photonic interconnect technologies designed to support distributed machine learning across data centers—a growing national priority as artificial intelligence models and datasets continue to scale. The award, extending through May 31, 2031, includes workforce development components involving interdisciplinary student training in photonics, quantum engineering, and computational design, as well as K-12 outreach and mentoring activities in the Cambridge and Boston public schools. The research will be conducted at Harvard's Cambridge, Massachusetts campus, with industry partnerships to facilitate technology translation into practical systems.