UROP Project

Exploring Molecular Qubits via High Field Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Molecular Qubits, MOF Qubits, EPR

Research Mentor: Kavipriya Thangavel, Kavi
Department, College, Affiliation: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, N/A
Contact Email: kt24@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Physics, Chemistry, engineering, material science
Project Location: National MagLab
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Yes
Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:

• Day: Tuesday, September 1
  Start Time: 12:00
  End Time: 12:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/98937647749
• Day: Monday, August 31
  Start Time: 12:00
  End Time: 12:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/98937647749

Project Description

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is a powerful method for studying materials with unpaired electrons, including qubit materials. A qubit (short for “quantum bit”) is the basic unit of quantum information and the building block of quantum computers. Unlike a regular computer bit, which can only be 0 or 1, a qubit can exist in a mixture of both states at the same time, thanks to quantum mechanics.
The lifetime of a qubit tells us how long it can remain in this fragile quantum state before losing information. EPR helps scientists measure this lifetime (also called the spin–spin relaxation time) and understand the properties of qubits.
At the National MagLab, researchers use a state-of-the-art instrument called HiPER (High-Power Quasi-Optical W-band spectrometer). HiPER enables both continuous-wave and pulsed experiments, which provide much more detailed information about spin systems than traditional low-power EPR machines. This deeper understanding helps in developing better qubit materials, advancing the future of quantum information and computation.


Research Tasks: In this project, students will be introduced to the basics of qubit systems and get hands-on experience using high-field EPR and the HiPER instrument. The main goal is to learn how spin systems relax and how we can study that. Students will also practice doing literature reviews and giving short presentations to share what they have learned. However, tasks will be designed based on the interests of the student.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Students with backgrounds in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, or Quantum Science are encouraged to apply, but not mandatory. During the project, students will receive training in various aspects of experimental and data analysis work. Skills in Excel or MATLAB are desirable, but not required, as training will be provided. The project includes several types of tasks, and assignments will be tailored to the student’s interests and motivation.