Molecular Ion Quantum Logic – A New Frontier for Quantum Interactions and Fundamental Physics

一般观众摘要：该奖项支持离子阱中超冷极性分子离子的生产和研究技术的开发。 预计生产此类样本的能力可能会带来重大的技术和基础科学进步。这包括学习如何在量子状态下控制化学，这可能有助于新型材料和药物设计；创建一个可用于生产强大且可扩展的量子计算机的平台；允许量子物质和电荷传输的新探针；了解星际云的形成；以及用于基础物理测试的分子结构的精密测量。该项目的主要研究目标是确定分子离子量子位是否是量子计算、量子传感和量子通信的有用平台。该项目还将支持与当地小学合作，将基于探究的、主动学习的实验室实验带入课堂。因此，该项目有能力促进科学进步，并从长远来看促进国家繁荣和安全。技术受众摘要：由于分子离子很容易在射频离子阱中捕获数分钟，因此存在不适用于中性原子和分子的冷却和询问的可能性。此外，丰富的分子结构为优化给定的量子任务提供了机会，例如。无退相干子空间和长程相互作用是容易获得的。因此，该团队正在采用一种技术，将分子离子与激光冷却的原子离子共同捕获，并选择性地暴露于超冷中性气体中。分子离子量子位可以用激光或微波辐射控制。该团队将致力于解决该领域面临的三个挑战：开发量子非破坏测量以及量子态准备和读出；探索保罗陷阱中分子离子量子位相干时间的极限；该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

General audience abstract:This award supports the development of techniques for the production and study of ultracold polar molecular ions held in an ion trap. It is expected that the ability to produce such samples could lead to significant technological and fundamental scientific advancements. This includes potentially learning how to control chemistry in the quantum regime, which could aid novel materials and drug design; creating a platform that could be useful in producing a robust and scalable quantum computer; allowing new probes of quantum matter and charge transport; understanding the formation of interstellar clouds; and precision measurement of molecular structure for tests of fundamental physics. The main research objective of this project is to ascertain if molecular ion qubits are a useful platform for quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communication. The project will also support an effort to partner with local elementary schools to bring inquiry-based, active learning laboratory-based experiments to their classroom. As such, this project has the ability to aid the progress of science and in the longer-term bolster national prosperity and security. Technical audience abstract:Because molecular ions are easily trapped for many minutes in radio-frequency ion traps, there are possibilities for cooling and interrogation that are not applicable to neutral atoms and molecules. Further, the rich structure of molecules provides opportunities for optimizing a given quantum task, eg. decoherence free subspaces and long-range interactions are readily available. Therefore, this team is employing a technique where molecular ions are co-trapped with laser cooled atomic ions and optionally exposed to ultracold neutral gas. The molecular ion qubits can be controlled with lasers or microwave radiation. This team will work to answer three challenges facing the field: developing quantum non-demolition measurements and quantum state preparation and readout; exploring the limits to molecular ion qubit coherence times in a Paul trap; and developing quantum gates for molecular ion qubits.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.