Revolution in quantum research: Electrical control of molecules!

Revolution in quantum research: Electrical control of molecules!

Exciting developments are currently flourishing in the world of quantum technology that are not only revolutionizing the field, but also significantly expanding the possibilities for the future. A fresh advance comes from the University of Jena, where an interdisciplinary team led byProf. Dr. Winfried Plasshas presented groundbreaking results on the control of molecular spin states. Loud idw online For the first time, the researchers demonstrated the direct influence of electric fields on the spin state of molecules. This technique could significantly advance the development of molecules as qubits for quantum computers.

Spin, an intrinsic angular momentum of electrons, is crucial for storing information in quantum computers. The team of chemists from the universities of Jena and Florence used electron spin resonance (ESR) to investigate the influences of electric fields on the coupling constant of the spins. In particular, a trinuclear copper complex was considered whose spins tend to align antiparallel. The ligand – an organic compound – plays a central role in coupling the spins.

Technological advances in quantum computing

While the Jena researchers explore the molecular level, the project continues SPINNING into another dimension. This is an ambitious project that realizes quantum registers through photonic couplings between optical microresonators. A notable advance is the successful demonstration of the entanglement of two quantum registers - each containing six qubits - over a distance of more than 20 meters. This not only shows the scalability of this technology, but also the connection to conventional computer systems seems possible.

The results show a high average quality of over 0.9 for the entangled states. The technology was also recognized as particularly suitable for applications in artificial intelligence. The spin-photon-based quantum computer, which works with 12 qubits, delivers an error rate of less than 0.5% in the one-qubit gate - a respectable value compared to existing superconducting models.

The future of quantum processors

The SPINNING project has set itself the ambitious goal of developing a quantum processor “made in Germany”. This is said to be based on spin qubits in synthetic diamond and could enable the prediction of products of complex quantum chemical reactions. The planned expansion from 10 qubits to 100 qubits and more shows the ambition to further push the limits of quantum computing.

A striking advantage of this technology is the low cooling requirement, which allows it to be close to classic computer systems and thus facilitates integration into existing technologies. As part of the project, the participating institutions - including six universities, two non-profit research institutions and five industrial companies - are planning a pre-competitive development that affects not only the hardware, but also the firmware and software.

With all of these innovative approaches, the region is not only well on its way to playing a leading role in the field of quantum technology. There are promising opportunities in the air waiting to be tapped. A look into the future shows that there is much more to come!