Researchers at NIST and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have discovered a unique quantum magnetic system in a solid-state device that could be used to create q-bits for quantum computers. The system consists of linear chains of up to 100 nickel atoms in a ceramic crystal that form a “spin fluid” with a hidden, long-range coherence.
The team used neutrons to induce magnetic excitations in the chains, demonstrating that the spin directions remain coherent over distances of up to 30 nanometers. This is significant because it shows that large-scale regions in solid-state materials can be placed in a coherent quantum magnetic state, potentially enabling the creation of q-bits for quantum computing.
The research team included scientists from Johns Hopkins, Brookhaven National Laboratory, NIST, Dartmouth College, University College London, Louisiana State University, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and the University of Tokyo. The work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Wolfson-Royal Society (U.K.), and the U.K. Research Councils.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2007/08/neutrons-reveal-quantum-order-solid-state-system
Keywords: Coherence, Quantum, Magnetism, Spin, Q-bit
