DMSE Fall 2026 Seminar Series: Exploiting Molecular Materials for Quantum Information Science

Michael R. Wasielewski, a professor of chemistry and applied physics at Northwestern University, will give a talk titled "Exploiting Molecular Materials for Quantum Information Science" for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Abstract Molecular electron spins have emerged as versatile quantum bits \(qubits\) with wide ranging applications in quantum sensing, communications, and computing at the nanoscale. These applications take advantage of the ability of chemical synthesis to 1\) create specific structures with atomic scale spatial control; 2\) tailor the magnetic, optical, and electronic properties of the qubits; and 3\) construct large-scale ordered arrays of qubits via crystal growth and self-assembly. In order to take further advantage of the tunability of molecular qubits, optical-spin interfaces must be developed to permit addressing and readout of spin information. We will describe recent work from our laboratory that focuses on using photo-driven processes to generate optical-spin interfaces in molecular materials targeting quantum information applications. We will show how ultrafast photogeneration of electron-hole pairs within covalent electron donor-acceptor systems results in two entangled spins having sufficiently long coherence times to perform a variety of operations relevant to quantum information. We will also describe how molecular chirality can be used to control the spin dynamics of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in donor-acceptor molecules. Finally, we will show how molecular diradicals with triplet ground states can serve as versatile quantum sensors using optical spin polarization, microwave manipulation, and optical readout. Bio In addition to his position at Northwestern University, Michael Wasielewski is director of the Institute for Quantum Information Research and Engineering \(INQUIRE\) and director of the Center for Molecular Quantum Transduction \(CMQT\), an Energy Frontier Research Center at Northwestern affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy. He received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and doctorate degrees from the University of Chicago and was a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. His research has resulted in over 870 publications and focuses on light-driven processes in molecules and materials, artificial photosynthesis, molecular electronics, quantum information science, ultrafast optical spectroscopy, and time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. He is member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is the recipient of numerous awards.