Many Body Localisation in the Solid State for Finite Temperature Quantum Computing

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This proposal builds on the exciting discovery of an exotic insulator-insulator transition in the oxyarsenide CeMnAsO1-xFx (x = 0.035 - 0.075). Such temperature driven metal-insulator and insulator-insulator transitions, in which the resistivity changes by orders of magnitude over a very narrow temperature range, have attracted considerable interest from both theoretical and experimental researchers and have novel applications such as Resistance Random Access Memory (RRAM). The origin of the insulator-insulator transition in CeMnAsO1-xFx is not yet established but preliminary results suggest that this transition could be the first observation of many body localisation (MBL) in the solid state. The most significant characteristic of MBL systems is that below a transition temperature (TMBL) they become perfect insulators, exhibiting zero electronic conductivity. The MBL phase also acts as a quantum memory. Moreover, the localisation of MBL systems can be used to protect quantum memory allowing the tantalising possibility of performing topological quantum computation at finite temperatures. We will perform the vital measurements to confirm the MBL phase. If verified, we will be the first group in the world to report MBL in the solid state. The discovery of a material exhibiting MBL in the bulk would be transformative, as the MBL phase has the potential to revolutionise technological applications involving quantum sensors and computing, offering non-classical system performance. It would also create a new experimental research field that will allow the realisation of fundamentally new forms of quantum matter through non-equilibrium transitions.