NEW PREPRINT!! Storage and retrieval of electronic spin coherence using nuclear spins in a vanadyl paddlewheel

Our new preprint on “Storage and retrieval of electronic spin coherence using nuclear spins in a vanadyl paddlewheel” is finally on-line at the following link: chemrxiv.15003695/v1

Abstract: “Electronic and nuclear spins are complementary carriers of quantum information: whereas nuclear spins exhibit long coherence times suitable for its storage, electronic spins ensure rapid addressing and readout. A key challenge is harvesting the benefits of both spin degrees of freedom by transferring coherence between them. In this work, we achieved this goal by working on a molecular architecture that affords precise control over electronuclear properties by chemical design. As a model system, we used heterobimetallic paddlewheel complex [VOPt(SOCPh)₄] diluted in [TiOPt(SOCPh)₄]*2THF diamagnetic crystalline host matrix (nominal molar concentrations of 1 and 10%). In [VOPt(SOCPh)₄], vanadyl electronic spin S = 1/2 is hyperfinely-coupled to the nuclear spin I = 7/2 of ⁵¹V. These electronic and nuclear spins were simultaneously manipulated using sequences of Radiofrequency (RF) and Microwave (MW) pulses generated by a multifrequency on-chip setup operating at cryogenic temperatures. First, Electron Nuclear DOuble Resonance (ENDOR) experiments were performed to show the readout of the ⁵¹V nuclear spin transitions through the electronic spin echo. Further experiments with a dedicated RF-MW pulse sequence demonstrated that electronic phase coherence can be stored in the nuclear spins and retrieved (Storage and Retrieval, SR) after a total free precession time that greatly exceeds the electronic phase memory time. This key result establishes a route for encoding quantum information on the electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom of a chemically tunable platform.“