Researchers W.-R. Hannes and Guido Burkard, affiliated with the University of Konstanz in Germany, have proposed a novel scheme for entangling long-lived quantum states, known as qudits, using defect centers with high-spin nuclei. Their work, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, presents a method that could have significant implications for quantum communication and computing, fields that are increasingly relevant to the energy sector as it explores new technologies for secure and efficient energy management.
The researchers focus on defect centers, which are imperfections in the atomic structure of materials like diamond. These defects can host electron spins that act as communication qubits, and nuclear spins that serve as long-lived memory qudits. The team’s scheme leverages the Ising component of the hyperfine interaction, a natural interaction between the electron and nuclear spins, to transfer entanglement from the electron spin to the nuclear spin.
One of the key advantages of this scheme is its ability to generate maximal entanglement deterministically and without the need for intermittent driving of the nuclear spins. This is achieved by setting the dimension of the qudit, d, to an integer power of two. The scheme is versatile and can be applied to various candidate systems, including the germanium vacancy in diamond, which has a nuclear spin quantum number I of 9/2, allowing for qudits of dimension up to 10.
For the energy industry, this research could pave the way for more secure and efficient quantum communication networks. Entanglement is a crucial resource for quantum cryptography, which could enable ultra-secure communication between energy infrastructure, protecting it from cyber threats. Moreover, the ability to store and transfer entanglement could enhance quantum sensing and metrology applications, leading to more precise monitoring and control of energy systems. While practical applications are still on the horizon, this research represents a significant step forward in the development of quantum technologies that could revolutionize the energy sector.
The research was published in Physical Review Letters, a prestigious journal in the field of physics.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.