Pulse Techniques for Quantum Information Processing

The inherent properties of quantum systems, such as superposition and entanglement, offer a new paradigm to the treatment and storage of information in physical systems, giving rise to potentially faster computation, more secure communication, and better sensors. Electron spins in a range of host environments are ideal systems for representing quantum information, and such systems can be both characterized and controlled through the arsenal of pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques. In this article, we introduce basic concepts behind quantum information processing with spins, including how spin decoherence (i.e., the corruption of quantum information) has been studied and mitigated in various systems; how EPR methods can be used to manipulate quantum information in spins with high fidelity; how individual spins can be used as high-resolution sensors (e.g., of magnetic field); and how multiple spins can be coupled together to develop the building blocks of a larger scale quantum computer.