A Porous Array of Clock Qubits

Realizing atomic-level spatial control over qubits, the fundamental units of both quantum information processing systems and quantum sensors, constitutes a crucial cross-field challenge. Toward this end, embedding electronic-spin-based qubits within the framework of a crystalline porous material is a promising approach to create precise arrays of qubits. Realizing porous hosts for qubits would also impact the emerging field of quantum sensing, whereby porosity would enable analytes to infuse into a sensor matrix. However, building viable qubits into a porous material is an appreciable challenge because of the extreme sensitivity of qubits to local magnetic noise. To insulate these frameworks from ambient magnetic signals, we borrowed from atomic physics the idea to exploit clock transitions at avoided level crossings. Here, sensitivity to magnetic noise is inherently limited by the flat slope of the so-called clock transition. More specifically, we created an array of clocklike qubits within a metal organic framework by combining coordination chemistry considerations with the fundamental concept of atomic clock transitions. Electron paramagnetic resonance studies verify a clocklike transition for the hosted cobalt(II) spins in the framework [(TCPP)Co0.07Zn0.93](3)[Zr6O4(OH)(4)(H2O)(6)](2), the first demonstration in any porous material. The clocklike qubits display lifetimes of up to 14 its despite abundant local nuclear spins, illuminating a new path toward proof-of-concept quantum sensors and processors with high inherent structural precision.