Materials issues for quantum computation

Tad Hogg, J. Geoffrey Chase

The development of small-scale sensors and actuators enables the construction of smart matter in which physical properties of materials are controlled in a distributed manner. In this paper, we describe how quantum computers could provide an additional capability, programmable control over some quantum behaviors of such materials. This emphasizes the need for spatial coherence, in contrast to the more commonly discussed issue of temporal coherence for quantum computing. We also discuss some possible applications and engineering issues involved in exploiting this possibility.

Rodney S. Ruoff

Ignace Jarrige

Tanya Zelevinsky, Artur F. Izmaylov, Anastassia N. Alexandrova

I n this Physical Chemistry of Quantum Information Science (QIS) Virtual Special Issue, we delve into the research areas that have attracted significant attention and promise to reshape the landscape of quantum information science with a focus on molecular and materials systems.The topics explored here encompass theoretical and computational pursuits as well as cutting-edge experiments.The issue was inspired by recent innovations and discoveries in this active research field.Control of molecular quantum states has improved dramatically thanks to advances in producing cold molecular beams and trapped gas samples. 1 Manipulation of individual molecules in optical tweezers and of many-body interactions in various optical lattice configurations has opened exciting possibilities. 2 Likewise, control of quantum states has been achieved or proposed in a variety of materials, from defects in bulk materials to thin films and quantum dots and even large molecules such as dyes and fullerenes.The breadth of quantum technologies to which these molecular and materials platforms have the potential to cater is vast, including areas of sensing, computing, quantum optics, and beyond.Specifically, quantum computing may be poised to augment classical computations and offer solutions for challenging chemical problems, while quantum sensors can exhibit unprecedented sensitivity.These possibilities go beyond what is attainable with today's limited number of materials platforms, illustrating the central role of chemistry in the field of QIS.In this Virtual Special Issue, we explore quantum information science where molecular systems take center stage.We investigate the topic of quantum algorithms tailored for quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, and statistical mechanics.This includes a quest to enhance the accuracy of classical computations for difficult chemistry problems involving strongly correlated systems in the works by A.

Igor Aharonovich, Sejeong Kim, Jin Liu +2 more

Single photons and individual quantum systems are at the heart of recent developments in quantum technologies and are about to enable a variety of novel applications in sensing, communication, and computing. Photonic devices are the key to control interactions between quantum systems and light as well as to simultaneously engineer the properties of photons. For scalable quantum technologies, the employed quantum systems are solid-state based, thus placing the field of quantum photonics at the intersection of physics, nanotechnology, and material sciences. This special issue features 14 contributions and addresses recent advances in several material platforms.

P. Sureshkumar, Madhusudan Narayan