Engineering intra-molecular entanglement
The strict requirements for the coherent storage and processing of quantum information dictate an exquisite control of the materials used, be they ultra-cold atoms or patterned quantum dots. Similarly, the use of spin-containing molecules for QIP demands an expertise in molecular engineering to synthesize suitable macromolecules including considerations such as isotopic nuclear spin labelling, control of relevant spin-spin separations, and the addition of (e.g.) an optically active ancillary group.
Molecular arrays containing long lived electron and/or nuclear spins will be designed, synthesized and characterised in order to demonstrate intra-molecular entanglement between i) an electron and nuclear spin; ii) two electron spins; iii) two nuclear spins, on a time-scale faster than can be achieved through standard NMR techniques. The primary objective (i) will directly address the possibility of using nuclear spins for solid state quantum memory. The coherence lifetime of the nuclear spin can be considerably longer than that of the electron, so the coherent transfer of a quantum state from an electron spin to a nuclear spin, and back, will be a key step in establishing long-term solid state memories. The use of a (transient) optically generated electron spin may enable even longer nuclear spin coherence times. The secondary objectives (ii) and (iii) represent the scaling up of (i) and will enable the demonstration of quantum logic gates within a molecule - a result of substantial importance in the field of electron spin QIP.
For further information contact John Morton