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A Quantum Defect Moves Into Ordinary Oxide

Simulations identified a molybdenum-and-vacancy defect in zinc oxide with properties suited to spin readout and quantum light.

Published Updated Story ID: mp-2026-07-24-003
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Summary

Simulations identified a molybdenum-and-vacancy defect in zinc oxide with properties suited to spin readout and quantum light.

Researchers computationally screened point defects in zinc oxide and identified a molybdenum atom beside a missing oxygen as a promising spin-qubit design. Their first-principles calculations predict sharp visible emission, a spin coherence time near four milliseconds, and the ingredients for single-shot readout. Zinc oxide is compatible with established semiconductor growth, but the work is a theoretical design: the defect still must be fabricated and measured.

Why it matters

Simulations identified a molybdenum-and-vacancy defect in zinc oxide with properties suited to spin readout and quantum light.

Limits and context

No additional limitation was separately recorded.

Key claims

  1. Simulations identified a molybdenum-and-vacancy defect in zinc oxide with properties suited to spin readout and quantum light.

    Evidence: source-2026-07-24-003

Sources

  1. Sungkyunkwan University via Newswise: Zinc-oxide spin qubitSungkyunkwan University via Newswise · official announcement

Corrections

No corrections have been recorded for this story.