Litcius/Paper detail

A high-resolution molecular spin-photon interface at telecommunication wavelengths

Leah R. Weiss, Grant T. Smith, Ryan A. Murphy, Bahman Golesorkhi, J. A. Méndez, Priya Patel, Jens Niklas, Oleg G. Poluektov, Jeffrey R. Long, D. D. Awschalom

2025Science7 citationsDOI

Abstract

Optically addressable electronic spins in polyatomic molecules are a promising platform for quantum information science, with the potential to enable scalable qubit design and integration through atomistic tunability and nanoscale localization. However, optical state- and site-selection are an open challenge. In this work, we introduce an organo-erbium spin qubit in which narrow (megahertz-scale) optical and spin transitions couple to provide high-resolution access to spin degrees of freedom with telecommunication-frequency light. This spin-photon interface enables demonstration of optical spin polarization and readout that distinguishes between spin states and magnetically inequivalent sites in a molecular crystal. Operation at frequencies compatible with mature photonic and microwave devices provides an opportunity for engineering scalable, integrated molecular spin-optical quantum technologies.

Topics & Concepts

QubitSpinsPhotonicsOptoelectronicsPolyatomic ionMicrowaveSpin engineeringSpin (aerodynamics)PhysicsPolarization (electrochemistry)QuantumScalabilityInterface (matter)Quantum informationMaterials scienceSpin polarizationQuantum sensorQuantum computerMoleculeDegrees of freedom (physics and chemistry)Quantum entanglementSpin statesNanoscopic scaleOptical communicationSpin waveWavelengthQuantum technologyNanotechnologyQuantum information processingQuantum information scienceQuantum optics and atomic interactionsElectron Spin Resonance StudiesQuantum and electron transport phenomena