Summary
The aim of the work is to develop theoretical tools to simulate and predict the behaviour of a one-dimensional chain of trapped dipolar molecules and to study the nature of entanglement as a design resource. In this device, individual water molecules are trapped inside C60 fullerene cages (also known as buckyballs), which in turn are inserted into a carbon nanotube. Such a peapod-like structure can be created using recent advances in organic synthesis. Remarkably, the quantum level structure of the guest molecule in the carbon nanotube peapod remains nearly identical to a free molecule, which makes this system a promising platform for implementing quantum information protocols, comparable to those explored with atoms and molecules trapped in optical lattices. Along the way, we are working to understand the response of the device to external electromagnetic fields, which could open the door to its use for precision electric field sensing with potential capabilities to detect fields from a single molecule.
Related Content

Structured Light Applications in Vision Science
Eye diseases such as macular degeneration can have a devastating impact on quality of life. Early detection and treatment are thus crucial for preventing irreversible vision loss. A previous study found that the human eye can detect differences in ‘structured’ light beams. Such light beams are composed of a coherent superposition of differently polarized planar […]
April 24, 2023

Micro-Supercapacitors Based on Termination Optimized MXene Quantum Dots with Ultra-High Rate Capability and Fast Frequency Response
Micro-supercapacitors (MCs) are miniaturized energy storage devices that can enhance the performance of wearable health devices, medical implants, wireless sensors, and micro-electromechanical systems due to their fast frequency response, long life cycle, and vast temperature operation. However, to make these MC systems into commercially feasible products, necessary improvements to current MC performance are necessary, primarily […]
June 12, 2023

Enabling Next-Generation Sustainable Computing through Novel Multi-Valued-Logic Quantum Devices
As the demand for digital services grows, so does the need for data centres and transmission networks. Unfortunately, these data systems consume vast amounts of energy, resulting in nearly 1% of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. This project aims to invent novel quantum devices for highly energy-efficient computing that may help reduce the global digital […]
June 12, 2023

Mesoscopic systems as coherent control elements
Summary Mesoscopic systems provide a new tool for quantum systems design. In particular, they are enabling of robust quantum control. Here “mesoscopic system” refers to a connected network where each element, if studied alone, would be a quantum bit. The network is too big to be treated fully quantum mechanically. We do not have individual […]
September 1, 2016