Title: Will ‘colour molecules’ make quantum computers

accessible?
UPSC Relevance UPSC Syllabus
 Quantum Computing Mains, GS Paper – III, Science and Technology,
 Emerging Technologies Awareness in the field of Computers

Context: Recently, researchers from Kyushu University of Japan announced a breakthrough in

developing qubits that operate at room temperature using colour molecules, marking a significant
advancement for quantum computing.

About Quantum Computing

 Quantum computing is a multidisciplinary field that uses quantum mechanics to solve

complex problems faster than classical computers.
 Quantum computers use the unique behaviours of quantum physics, such as superposition,
entanglement, and quantum interference.

Understanding Qubits and their Challenges

 A qubit, or quantum bit, is a basic unit of quantum information.

 It's the quantum equivalent of a bit, which is a binary digit in classical computing.
 Qubits can exist in two states, like up and down, which represent 1 and 0. However, they can
also exist in both states at the same time, which is called a quantum state.
 Challenges associated with building qubits:
o Decoherence: Maintaining the fragile superposition state of qubits is difficult, as they
quickly lose their quantum properties from interactions with the environment.
o Room-Temperature Operation: Most current qubits require extreme conditions (very
low temperatures, vacuums), driving up costs and complexity.

Room-Temperature Qubits: A Breakthrough

 Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs): Researchers have created qubits that work at room
temperature using a structure called a MOF. These have metal atoms connected by special
'colour molecules' (chromophores).
 Colour Molecules: Colour molecules, or chromophores, are molecules that can absorb
certain wavelengths of light, which results in the substances displaying various colours.
 o Chromophores are found in many molecules in nature, including chlorophyll, which is
responsible for the green colour of leaves.

How Colour Molecules Help in Quantum Computing?

 Energy Boost: When a chromophore absorbs light, an electron gets excited to a higher
energy state.
 Singlet Fission: This excited molecule can interact with a neighbour, splitting its energy and
exciting the neighbour too. This creates two molecules with electrons in a unique state
(triplet state).
 Creating Superposition: The subtle movements of these molecules within the MOF
framework help maintain the two molecules in a delicate 'superposition'—a key ingredient
to making a qubit that works at room temperature.
 The Japan researchers used a MOF with the following components:
o Metal Component: Zirconium (Zr).
o Colour Molecule (Chromophore): Pentacene.