Long Live Ytterbium! Long-lived States Found in Trapped Ions Open New Doors For Quantum Computing And Atomic Clocks

Researchers have made a breakthrough in the field of quantum computing and atomic clocks by discovering long-lived metastable states in ytterbium ions, with lifetimes measuring approximately 1 second, 10 seconds, and over 30 seconds. These newly identified states have the potential to significantly enhance the efficiency of trapped-ion quantum computers and atomic clocks, particularly in the detection of qubit and qudit states. The discovery of a metastable state that can be accessed using a single laser pulse is of particular significance, as it could streamline the process of state detection. This finding also experimentally confirms a 35-year-old theoretical prediction, providing further validation of the research¹. The implications of this discovery are substantial, as it could accelerate the development of quantum computing and atomic clocks, thereby increasing the urgency for practitioners to plan for the migration to post-quantum cryptography.