Trap and isolate to extend quantum lifetime

Abstract

Quantum Sensing The coherence time of a quantum system is an important parameter in the development of technologies that exploit the sensitive nature of quantum mechanics. Rubidium atoms have quantum mechanical spin, each atom behaving like a tiny magnetic compass, which makes them exquisitely sensitive to local fluctuations in the magnetic field. Upadhyay et al. trapped single rubidium atoms in an ultracold parahydrogen matrix and then applied a sequence of pulses that further decoupled them from their immediate decoherence-inducing environment. With this trap-and-isolate protocol, the coherence lifetime of the rubidium atoms can be extended to a fraction of a second. The authors suggest that co-trapping a single molecule alongside a single rubidium atom could provide a platform for single-molecule nuclear magnetic resonance studies and the development of other quantum sensing technologies. Phys. Rev. Lett. 125 , 043601 (2020).