Team Demonstrates Subatomic Quantum Memory in Diamond

A team of physicists at UCSB, led by David Awschalom, and the University of Konstanz in Germany have developed a breakthrough in the use of diamond in quantum physics. They were able to coax the fragile quantum information contained within a single electron in diamond to move into an adjacent single nitrogen nucleus, and then back again using on-chip wiring.

Awschalom said the discovery shows the high-fidelity operation of a quantum mechanical gate at the atomic level, enabling the transfer of full quantum information to and from one electron spin and a single nuclear spin at room temperature. The process is scalable, and opens the door to new solid-state quantum device development.

Awschalom is the director of UCSB’s Center for Spintronics & Quantum Computation and professor of physics, electrical and computer engineering, and director of the California NanoSystems Institute.