Exceptionally robust quantum states found in industrially important semiconductor

This image shows an electron quantum bit (purple arrow near center) in a silicon carbide crystal interacting with nuclear spins that are derived from naturally occurring 29Si (green arrows) and 13C (red arrows) isotopes. A grey pyramid indicates the local crystal symmetry environment of the qubit. The qubit would eventually lose its quantum properties in the presence of the magnetic noise produced by the random nuclear spin fluctuations in these materials, the process known as quantum decoherence. Harnessing solid-state quantum bits, or qubits, is a key step toward the mass production of electronic devices based on quantum information science and technology. However, realizing a robust qubit with a long lifetime is challenging, particularly in semiconductors comprising multiple types of atoms. The close collaboration between experiments in Prof. David Awschalom's group and theory and simulations in Prof. Giulia Galli's group , both in the Institute for Molecular Engineering , has enabled a crucial step toward solid-state qubits in industrially important semiconductors. In a paper, published Sept.