Enabling the rational synthesis of molecular candidates for quantum information processing requires design principles that minimize electron spin decoherence. Here we report a systematic investigation of decoherence via the synthesis of two series of paramagnetic coordination complexes. These complexes, [M(C2O4)3]3- (M = Ru, Cr, Fe) and [M(CN)6]3- (M = Fe, Ru, Os), were prepared and interrogated by pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to assess quantitatively the influence of the magnitude of spin (S = 1/2, 3/2, 5/2) and spin-orbit coupling (ζ = 464, 880, 3100 cm-1) on quantum decoherence. Coherence times (T2) were collected via Hahn echo experiments and revealed a small dependence on the two variables studied, demonstrating that the magnitudes of spin and spin-orbit coupling are not the primary drivers of electron spin decoherence. On the basis of these conclusions, a proof-of-concept molecule, [Ru(C2O4)3] 3-, was selected for further study. The two parameters establishing the viability of a qubit are a long coherence time, T2, and the presence of Rabi oscillations. The complex [Ru(C2O4) 3]3- exhibits both a coherence time of T2 = 3.4 μs and the rarely observed Rabi oscillations. These two features establish [Ru(C2O4)3]3- as a molecular qubit candidate and mark the viability of coordination complexes as qubit platforms. Our results illustrate that the design of qubit candidates can be achieved with a wide range of paramagnetic ions and spin states while preserving a long-lived coherence. © 2014 American Chemical Society.
CITATION STYLE
Graham, M. J., Zadrozny, J. M., Shiddiq, M., Anderson, J. S., Fataftah, M. S., Hill, S., & Freedman, D. E. (2014). Influence of electronic spin and spin-orbit coupling on decoherence in mononuclear transition metal complexes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 136(21), 7623–7626. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja5037397
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