About

Jacob P. Covey is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Department of Physics. His research focuses on quantum optics, atomic physics, and quantum information science, with particular interest in the manipulation and control of quantum gases, ultracold molecules, and quantum networks. Covey's work involves exploring the fundamental properties of atomic and molecular systems, developing techniques for quantum control, and advancing applications in quantum computing and communication. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 2017, where his thesis was titled 'Enhanced optical and electric manipulation of a quantum gas of KRb molecules.' His academic background also includes a Master's degree in Physics from the same university and a Bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Covey has held postdoctoral positions at the California Institute of Technology, where he was a Richard Chace Tolman Postdoctoral Scholar, and has contributed significantly to the field through his research, publications, and patents. His work has been recognized with awards such as the NSF CAREER Award in 2024, and he is involved in advancing quantum technologies through both fundamental research and applied innovations.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Political Science
• Quantum mechanics
• Physics
• Artificial Intelligence
• Engineering physics
• Mathematics
• Statistical physics
• Materials science
• Theoretical computer science
• Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Selected publications

• Quantum science with arrays of metastable helium-3 atoms

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-01-11

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  The motion of atoms in programmable optical tweezer arrays offers many new opportunities for neutral atom quantum science. These include inter- and intra-site atom motion for resource-efficient implementations of fermionic and bosonic modes, respectively, as well as tweezer transport for efficient compilation of arbitrary circuits. However, the exploitation of atomic motion for all three purposes and others is limited by the inertia of the atoms. We present a comprehensive architectural blueprint for the use of fermionic metastable helium-3 ($^3$He$^*$) atoms -- the lightest trappable atomic species -- in programmable optical tweezer arrays. This includes a concrete analysis of atomic structure considerations as well as Rydberg-mediated interactions. We show that inter-tweezer hopping of $^3$He$^*$ atoms can be $\gtrsim3\times$ faster than previous demonstrations with lithium-6. We also demonstrate a new toolbox for encoding and manipulating qubits directly in the tweezer trap potential, uniquely enabled by the light mass of $^3$He$^*$. Finally, we provide several examples of new opportunities for fermionic quantum simulation and computation that leverage the transport and inter-tweezer hopping of $^3$He$^*$ atom arrays. These tools present new methods to improve the resource efficiency of neutral atom quantum science that may also enable quantum simulations of lattice gauge theories and quantum chemistry outside the Born-Oppenheimer approximation

  PublisherDOI

• Factoring $2048$ bit RSA integers with a half-million-qubit modular atomic processor

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-05-05

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Shor's algorithm is one of the most promising applications of quantum computers. However, since $\sim 10^6$ physical qubits are believed to be required for established approaches, the algorithm will need to be distributed across many modules. In this paper, we provide a distributed compilation of Shor's algorithm on a modular atomic processor. We present an end-to-end compilation and optimization strategy that focuses on the interplay between the inter-module communication and the intra-module clock rate. With a half-million-qubit modular atomic processor with a communication rate of $10^5$ Bell pairs per second and a measurement time of 1 ms in a CPU-inspired architecture, we demonstrate that 2048-bit RSA integers can be factored in only 16\% more time than a single-module architecture. Our work presents the first end-to-end analysis and simulation of large-scale integer factorization on modular atomic hardware and it provides a blueprint for the future design of other large-scale modular algorithms.

  PublisherDOI

• Quantum science with arrays of metastable helium-3 atoms

  ArXiv.org · 2026-01-11

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The motion of atoms in programmable optical tweezer arrays offers many new opportunities for neutral atom quantum science. These include inter- and intra-site atom motion for resource-efficient implementations of fermionic and bosonic modes, respectively, as well as tweezer transport for efficient compilation of arbitrary circuits. However, the exploitation of atomic motion for all three purposes and others is limited by the inertia of the atoms. We present a comprehensive architectural blueprint for the use of fermionic metastable helium-3 ($^3$He$^*$) atoms -- the lightest trappable atomic species -- in programmable optical tweezer arrays. This includes a concrete analysis of atomic structure considerations as well as Rydberg-mediated interactions. We show that inter-tweezer hopping of $^3$He$^*$ atoms can be $\gtrsim3\times$ faster than previous demonstrations with lithium-6. We also demonstrate a new toolbox for encoding and manipulating qubits directly in the tweezer trap potential, uniquely enabled by the light mass of $^3$He$^*$. Finally, we provide several examples of new opportunities for fermionic quantum simulation and computation that leverage the transport and inter-tweezer hopping of $^3$He$^*$ atom arrays. These tools present new methods to improve the resource efficiency of neutral atom quantum science that may also enable quantum simulations of lattice gauge theories and quantum chemistry outside the Born-Oppenheimer approximation

  PublisherOA PDF

• InterQnet: A Heterogeneous Full-Stack Approach to Co-Designing Scalable Quantum Networks

  IEEE Transactions on Quantum Engineering · 2026-01-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Quantum communications have progressed significantly, moving from a theoretical concept to small-scale experiments to recent metropolitan-scale demonstrations. As the technology matures, it is expected to revolutionize quantum computing in much the same way that classical networks revolutionized classical computing. Quantum communications will also enable breakthroughs in quantum sensing, metrology, and other areas. However, scalability has emerged as a major challenge, particularly in terms of the number and heterogeneity of nodes, the distances between nodes, the diversity of applications, and the scale of user demand. This paper describes InterQnet, a multidisciplinary project that advances scalable quantum communications through a comprehensive approach that improves devices, error handling, and network architecture. InterQnet has a two-pronged strategy to address scalability challenges: <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">InterQnet-Achieve</i> focuses on practical realizations of heterogeneous quantum networks by building and then integrating first-generation quantum repeaters with error mitigation schemes and centralized automated network control systems. The resulting system will enable quantum communications between two heterogeneous quantum platforms through a third type of platform operating as a repeater node. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">InterQnet-Scale</i> focuses on a systems study of architectural choices for scalable quantum networks by developing forward-looking models of quantum network devices, advanced error correction schemes, and entanglement protocols. Here we report our current progress toward achieving our scalability goals.

  PublisherDOI

• Factoring $2048$ bit RSA integers with a half-million-qubit modular atomic processor

  ArXiv.org · 2026-05-05

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Shor's algorithm is one of the most promising applications of quantum computers. However, since $\sim 10^6$ physical qubits are believed to be required for established approaches, the algorithm will need to be distributed across many modules. In this paper, we provide a distributed compilation of Shor's algorithm on a modular atomic processor. We present an end-to-end compilation and optimization strategy that focuses on the interplay between the inter-module communication and the intra-module clock rate. With a half-million-qubit modular atomic processor with a communication rate of $10^5$ Bell pairs per second and a measurement time of 1 ms in a CPU-inspired architecture, we demonstrate that 2048-bit RSA integers can be factored in only 16\% more time than a single-module architecture. Our work presents the first end-to-end analysis and simulation of large-scale integer factorization on modular atomic hardware and it provides a blueprint for the future design of other large-scale modular algorithms.

  PublisherOA PDF

• Three-Qubit Encoding in Ytterbium-171 Atoms for Simulating 1+1D Quantum Chromodynamics

  PRX Quantum · 2025-12-22

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Simulating nuclear matter described by quantum chromodynamics using quantum computers is notoriously inefficient because of the assortment of quark degrees of freedom such as matter/antimatter, flavor, color, and spin. Here, we propose to address this resource efficiency challenge by encoding three qubits within individual ytterbium-171 atoms of a neutral atom quantum processor. The three qubits are encoded in three distinct sectors: an electronic “clock” transition, the spin-1/2 nucleus, and the lowest two motional states in one radial direction of the harmonic trapping potential. We develop a family of composite sideband pulses and demonstrate a universal gate set and readout protocol for this three-qubit system. We then apply it to single-flavor quantum chromodynamics in 1+1D axial gauge for which the three qubits directly represent the occupancy of quarks in the three colors. We show that two atoms are sufficient to simulate both vacuum persistence oscillations and a screened hadron-number transition. We consider resource requirements and connections to error detection/correction. Our work is a step toward resource-efficient digital simulation of nuclear matter and opens new opportunities for versatile qubit encoding in neutral atom quantum processors.

  PublisherDOI

• InterQnet: A Heterogeneous Full-Stack Approach to Co-designing Scalable Quantum Networks

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2025-09-23

  preprintOpen access

  Quantum communications have progressed significantly, moving from a theoretical concept to small-scale experiments to recent metropolitan-scale demonstrations. As the technology matures, it is expected to revolutionize quantum computing in much the same way that classical networks revolutionized classical computing. Quantum communications will also enable breakthroughs in quantum sensing, metrology, and other areas. However, scalability has emerged as a major challenge, particularly in terms of the number and heterogeneity of nodes, the distances between nodes, the diversity of applications, and the scale of user demand. This paper describes InterQnet, a multidisciplinary project that advances scalable quantum communications through a comprehensive approach that improves devices, error handling, and network architecture. InterQnet has a two-pronged strategy to address scalability challenges: InterQnet-Achieve focuses on practical realizations of heterogeneous quantum networks by building and then integrating first-generation quantum repeaters with error mitigation schemes and centralized automated network control systems. The resulting system will enable quantum communications between two heterogeneous quantum platforms through a third type of platform operating as a repeater node. InterQnet-Scale focuses on a systems study of architectural choices for scalable quantum networks by developing forward-looking models of quantum network devices, advanced error correction schemes, and entanglement protocols. Here we report our current progress toward achieving our scalability goals.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Parallelized telecom quantum networking with an ytterbium-171 atom array

  Nature Physics · 2025-09-12 · 10 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Interaction-driven breakdown of Aharonov–Bohm caging in flat-band Rydberg lattices

  Nature Physics · 2025-01-10 · 21 citations

  articleOpen access

  Flat bands in condensed matter systems can host emergent states of matter, from insulating states in twisted bilayer graphene to fractionalized excitations in frustrated magnets and quantum Hall materials. A key phenomenon in certain flat-band systems is Aharonov-Bohm caging, where particles become localized due to destructive interference caused by gauge fields. Here we report on the experimental realization of highly tunable flat-band models populated by strongly interacting Rydberg atoms. By employing synthetic dimensions, we engineer a flat-band rhombic lattice with twisted boundaries and explore the control of Aharonov-Bohm caging during non-equilibrium dynamics through a tunable gauge field. Microscopic measurements of Rydberg pairs reveal the interaction-driven breakdown of Aharonov-Bohm caging in the limit of strong dipolar interactions, where lattice bands mix. In the limit of weak interactions, where caging persists, we observe effective magnetism arising from the interaction-driven mixing of degenerate flat-band states. These observations offer insights into emergent phenomena in synthetic quantum materials and expand our understanding of quantum many-body physics in engineered lattice systems.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Probing Curved Spacetime with a Distributed Atomic Processor Clock

  PRX Quantum · 2025-05-22 · 4 citations

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Quantum dynamics on curved spacetime has never been directly probed beyond the Newtonian limit. Although we can describe such dynamics theoretically, experiments would provide empirical evidence that quantum theory holds even in this extreme limit. The practical challenge is the minute spacetime curvature difference over the length scale of the typical extent of quantum effects. Here, we propose a quantum network of alkaline earth (like) atomic processors for constructing a distributed quantum state that is sensitive to the differential proper time between its constituent atomic processor nodes, implementing a quantum observable that is affected by post-Newtonian curved spacetime. Conceptually, we propose to delocalize one clock between three locations by encoding the presence or absence of a clock into the state of the local atoms. By separating three atomic nodes over approximately kilometer-scale elevation differences and distributing one clock between them via a <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><a:mi>W</a:mi></a:math> state, we demonstrate that the curvature of spacetime is manifest in the interference of the three different proper times that give rise to three distinct beat notes in our nonlocal observable. We further demonstrate that <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><c:mi>N</c:mi></c:math>-atom entanglement within each node enhances the interrogation bandwidth by a factor of <e:math xmlns:e="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><e:mi>N</e:mi></e:math>. We discuss how our proposed system can probe new facets of fundamental physics, such as the linearity, unitarity, and probabilistic nature of quantum theory on curved spacetime. Our protocol combines several recent advances with neutral atom and trapped ions to realize a novel quantum probe of gravity uniquely enabled by quantum networks.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Distributed Quantum Computing and Metrology with Alkaline Earth Atom Arrays

  NSF · $400k · 2021–2024

Frequent coauthors

• Jun Ye

  University of Colorado Boulder

  56 shared

• Steven A. Moses

  52 shared

• Deborah Jin

  National Institute of Standards and Technology

  45 shared

• Bo Yan

  32 shared

• Bryce Gadway

  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  32 shared

• Ana María Rey

  University of Colorado Boulder

  26 shared

• Manuel Endres

  22 shared

• Ivaylo S. Madjarov

  19 shared

Labs

• Covey LabPI

Awards & honors

• NSF CAREER Award (2024)
• Young Investigator Award from the Air Force Office of Scient…
• Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research (…
• Springer PhD Thesis Award (2018)