Molecular qubits and their assemblies for quantum computing and quantum sensing
Quantum information science (QIS) technology, quantum computing, sensing, and communication, relies on the chemical space of materials and molecules. The field needs to expand the repertoire of those materials and molecules, to enable flexible and versatile QIS technologies of the future. For a species to be a qubit, it needs to have clean individual quantum states that can be initiated, live long enough, and be read-out when needed. For quantum sensing (of small fields, time, gravity, or delicate chemical events), the states need to be sensitive to the measured quantity. We use the tools of chemistry, chemical bonding, and molecular design, to develop new QIS-enabling materials and molecules.
Key publications:
Lao, G.; Khvorost, T.; Macias, Jr., A.; Morgan, H. W. T.; Lavroff, R. H.; Choi, R.; Zhou, H.; Usvyat, D.; Zhu, G.-Z.; Garcia-Garibay, M. A.; Alexandrova, A. N.; Hudson, E. R.; Campbell, W. C. Bottom-up approach to scalable growth of molecules capable of optical cycling. 2025, Nature Chem., accepted.
Elwell, R.; Terhune, J. E. S.; Morgan, H. W. T.; Alexandrova, A. N.; Tran Tan, H. B.; Derevianko, A.; Hudson, E. R. 229ThF4 thin films for solid-state nuclear clocks. 2024, Nature, 636, 603-608. Download
Zhu, G.-Z.; Lao, G.; Dickerson, C. E.; Caram, J. R.; Campbell, W. C.; Alexandrova, A. N. Hudson, E. R. Extending the Large Molecule Limit: The Role of Fermi Resonance in Developing a Quantum Functional Group. 2024, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 15, 590-597. Download
Zhu, G.-Z.; Augenbraun, B. L.; Dickerson, C. E.; Frim, M.; Lao, G.; Lasner, Z.; Mitra, D.; Alexandrova, A. N.; Campbell, W. C.; Caram, J. R.; Doyle, J. M.; Hudson, E. R. Functionalizing Aromatic Compounds with Optical Cycling Centers. 2022, Nature Chem., 14, 995-999. Download
Shin, A. J.; Zhao, C.; Shen, Y.; Dickerson, C. E.; Li, B.; Bím, D.; Alson, L. K.; Atallah, T. L.; Alexandrova, A. .; Diaconescu, P. L.; Campbell, W. C.; Caram, J. Toward liquid cell quantum sensing: Ytterbium complexes with ultra-narrow absorption. 2024, Science, 385, 651-656. Download
Khvorost, T.; Wojcik, P.; Chang, C.; Calvillo, M.; Dickerson, C. E.; Krylov, A. I.; Alexandrova, A. N. Dual optical cycling centers mounted on an organic scaffold. 2024, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., i15, 5665-5673. Download
Dickerson, C. E.; Guo, H.; Shin, A. J.; Augenbraun, B. L.; Caram, J. R.; Campbell, W. C.; Alexandrova, A. N. Franck-Condon tuning of optical cycling centers by organic functionalization. 2021, Phys. Rev. Lett., 126, 123002. Download