Spin Quantum Dynamics in Molecular Magnets

The University Of Central Florida Board Of Trustees, Orlando FL

Investigators

Abstract

Non-technical abstract: This proposal seeks to consolidate an integrated experimental and educational framework for the study, understanding, and dissemination of knowledge that details the quantum magnetic properties of single-molecule magnets. The control of quantum properties of nanoscale materials has led to the appearance of new emerging technologies, such as quantum information and computation processes. Nanoscale molecular systems have great potential for ultra-high-density integration and quantum information processing, which are technologies based on the fundamental properties studied in this project. Along these lines, this project will advance a conjunction of experimental realizations to study the coupling between photons and ensembles of molecular magnets, in view of application in quantum information, molecular spintronics and related emerging quantum technologies. The research activities planned in this project will open the door to explore the quantum dynamics of spin in an energy and temperature range never explored before. This project aligns well with current national efforts on quantum technologies, as illustrated by the National Quantum Initiative Act. The proposed research is strongly integrated with a series of educational activities ongoing in the group of the principal investigator. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained at the interface between inorganic chemistry and fundamental and applied physics, and exposed to a large, interdisciplinary net of collaborations worldwide that the principal investigator has established over many years of research on this area. Technical abstract: This project seeks to consolidate an integrated experimental and educational framework for the study, understanding, and dissemination of knowledge that details the magnetic properties of single-molecule magnets under a broad range of experimental conditions. The main scientific goal of this project is to study the nature of light-matter interaction in single-molecule and single-ion magnets and achieve quantum coherent control over the molecular spin. The planned studies of spin-photon interactions in low-nuclearity single-molecule magnets, including mononuclear molecular systems and single-ion magnets, where the magnetism arises from a single magnetic ion, will allow to coherently control the time evolution of the molecular spins upon application of fast pulsed microwave irradiation in the weak coupling regime at sub-Kelvin temperatures (>50 mK), for which dipolar dephasing will be suppressed due to polarization of the spin bath without the need of large magnetic fields. This will open a window into the fundamental sources of decoherence in single crystals of molecular spins in an energy range never explored before. The enhanced spin-photon couplings factors of mononuclear molecular magnets together with the enhancement of the microwave magnetic field expected from nanoconstricted superconducting resonators of extremely high quality factors may allow demonstrating the strong coupling between a vacuum photon mode and a single molecular spin, a milestone not yet achieved in magnetism. The proposed investigations have great potential to advance ultra-high-density integration and quantum information processing technologies, and therefore the outcomes arising from the proposed studies may lead to new and revolutionary quantum technologies. This project aligns well with current national efforts on quantum technologies, as illustrated by the National Quantum Initiative Act. The PI will concentrate efforts to integrate the proposed research with a number of educational activities designed to train the next generation of quantum technology workforce. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.