U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Molecular Rydberg Wave Packets for Quantum Information

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

0128826 Leone This two-year award for US-France collaboration in experimental physical chemistry and quantum information science involves researchers and students at the University of Colorado and the Aime Cotton Laboratory in Orsay, France. Stephen R. Leone in the US and Christian Jurgen in France lead this collaboration of experimentalists and theorists. The objective of their combined efforts is to investigate Rydberg molecular packets of complex sodium or lithium compounds (dimers) or nobelium as potential sources for quantum information. The US group will assemble and prepare molecular wave packets with ultrafast pulsed lasers in order to construct coherent superpositions of states. Pairs of superposition states, called qubits, will then be used to investigate algorithms proposed for quantum information science. The French investigators will provide the theoretical expertise to identify the states involved and to interpret the complex wave packet dynamics. This collaboration advances understanding of research in laser control of chemical reactions and molecular spectroscopy. The new knowledge will be used in quantum information science, optical communications, and femtosecond laser optics. The collaboration advances research training of graduate students and provides them with opportunities to establish international partnerships early in their careers. This award represents the US side of parallel proposals to the NSF and the CNRS. NSF will cover travel funds and living expenses for the US investigator, postdoctoral researcher and students. The CNRS will support visits by French researchers and students to the United States.