Project Objectives
Introduction
The ultimate goal of this project is to contribute to the European effort in the field of nanotechnology development by studying the feasibility of MAGNETIC QUBIT based gates for quantum computing.
The current situation in quantum computation indicates that only a few proposals seem to fit the full set of criteria for a realistic implementation of quantum computing hardware. In this project we will develop both new nanodevices and measurement techniques. These will be studied in detail to produce quantitative and conclusive opinion on the possibility to use magnetic qubits as hardware units.
As a first step, we propose to nanofabricate superconducting hardware operatingat very low temperatures and having enough sensitivity to measure the spin state of a magnetic single domain particle.
The results of the testing of these new devices for the spin determination of particles owing a large variety of shape and anisotropy values is an important deliverable of our project.
Simultaneously, we propose to identify appropriate magnetic systems as candidates for practical qubits and to explore both experimentally and theoreticallythe decoherence affecting these qubits.
There is now considerable opinion in the quantum computing community that the best long-term candidates for scalable qubits systems will be fabricated condensed matter systems.
The use of nanolithographic methods for producing masks and the preparation of new molecular clusters with controlled substrate interactions are two very important aspects of our approach which demonstrate the control and potential for scalability with magnetic qubits.
Other important issues to be considered are the following:
- The full scope for scalability in qubit number.
- The potential for implementing quantum error correction.
- The relative merits of magnetic systems for both processing and storage of quantum information.
In particular, magnetic qubits may differ slightly in their spin Hamiltonian and the magnetic easy axes of such qubits may not all be perfectly parallel.
Quantum error correction (or avoidance) techniques will be considered to combat these practical problems and other sources of decoherence. This work will be another important and innovative deliverable of the project.
It is well known that any candidate for quantum computing (QC) hardware has to address FIVE KEY POINTS. Our proposal addresses for the first time these key points in the framework of high anisotropy nanomagnets.
Within this framework, the required research is wide ranging and is thus based on thecollaboration of a number of different groups, each playing an indispensable role in the project.
- Identifiable qubits
- State preparation
- Decoherence
- Entanglement and gates
- Measurement
In order to evaluate the accomplishment of these issues, we have established a set ofcriteria of success. These criteria will contribute to the realisation of the unique aim of our project: the manipulation of one and two magnetic qubits.
