Entanglement of polar symmetric top molecules as candidate qubits

TL;DR

This paper explores using polar symmetric top molecules as qubits for quantum computing, leveraging their first-order Stark effect for easier manipulation and broader chemical options for auxiliary qubits.

Contribution

It introduces the use of polar symmetric top molecules for quantum computing, highlighting advantages over diatomic molecules due to their first-order Stark effect and diverse chemical options.

Findings

First-order Stark effect enables lower external electric fields.

Effective dipole moments are nearly independent of field strength.

Potential for broader chemical options for auxiliary qubits.

Abstract

Proposals for quantum computing using rotational states of polar molecules as qubits have previously considered only diatomic molecules. For these the Stark effect is second-order, so a sizable external electric field is required to produce the requisite dipole moments in the laboratory frame. Here we consider use of polar symmetric top molecules. These offer advantages resulting from a first-order Stark effect, which renders the effective dipole moments nearly independent of the field strength. That permits use of much lower external field strengths for addressing sites. Moreover, for a particular choice of qubits, the electric dipole interactions become isomorphous with NMR systems for which many techniques enhancing logic gate operations have been developed. Also inviting is the wider chemical scope, since many symmetric top organic molecules provide options for auxiliary storage qubits in spin and hyperfine structure or in internal rotation states.