Magnetic thin film materials for rare earth dopant-based quantum technologies

Magnetic materials can be used as host crystals for rare-earth-ion-based quantum technologies. They exhibit new record coherence times (network stability) and enable high-bandwidth microwave-to-optical transduction.

This project aims to investigate some of these crystal systems to better understand their magnetic ordering, the interactions between the magnetized lattice and rare-earth-ion dopants, and how the rare-earth-ion dopants behave as a result. A particular focus will be crystal systems that can be grown as high-quality thin films. Thin films provide a pathway to microfabricated optical devices. Rare earth oxides, in particular gadolinium oxide, and the magnetic garnets, especially yttrium iron garnet (YIG) will be the subject of early focus.

Professor Jevon Longdell, Dr Luke Trainor and Professor Mike Reid will collaborate with researchers from NTT Research Labs in Japan; the Australian National University, the University of Manchester, the National University of Singapore and the Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*) Singapore.