| Project Detail |
"The role of quantum computing in simulating quantum and complex systems (e.g. molecular and biological systems) is central to the ""second quantum revolution"", generating enormous investments of industrial companies (e.g. IBM, Google, etc.) and EU members. Current technologies are mainly based on solid-state fundamental units, i.e. the qubits, whose working principles rely on superconductivity or electron/nuclear spin physics. Beyond them, molecular systems based on magnetic compounds are attracting specific interest in the community. By exploiting the versatility of molecular systems and the infinite possibilities enabled by synthetic chemistry, it is possible to engineer the systems physical and chemical properties. For instance, several qubits can be interconnected within a single structure through organic and coordination chemistry approaches, thus improving more complex structures for implementing advanced quantum logical operations (i.e. quantum logic gates). The CIRQUiT project aims to go beyond the current state-of-the-art molecular quantum logical units by introducing molecular machines for quantum information processing. The three main ingredients of this project are: i) organic and coordination chemistry, ii) light, and iii) magnetism. Two molecular qubits will be anchored to a central diamagnetic photochromic unit acting as a switch of magnetic interactions. The differences in magnetic anisotropy properties of the two qubits will keep them distinguishable and manipulable through microwave pulses. By exploiting cyclization and cycloversion reactions of the photochromic core (enabled by continuous or pulsed irradiation with UV and Vis light sources, respectively), it will be possible to switch exchange coupling interactions between side units. In this way, the two qubits can act as individual units when uncoupled and as quantum logic gates ""on demand"", mimicking the workflow of a quantum circuit." |
