Radical qubits photo-generated in acene-based metal-organic frameworks

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemistry
• Quantum Technology

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are versatile porous materials with tunable properties.
• Diazatetracene (DAT) derivatives offer unique photophysical and electronic characteristics.
• Persistent radicals are crucial for various quantum technologies, including sensing and information processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel MOFs utilizing diazatetracene (DAT)-based linkers.
• To investigate the generation and properties of photoinduced persistent radicals within these MOFs.
• To explore the potential of these DAT-based MOFs for quantum sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a series of MOFs using DAT-based organic linkers.
• Characterization of MOF structures, including chromophore orientation and spacing.
• Photophysical studies to induce and detect persistent radicals.
• Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to measure spin-lattice (T1) and spin-spin (T2) relaxation times.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis and characterization of DAT-based MOFs with varying chromophore arrangements.
• Consistent generation of photoinduced persistent radicals across all synthesized MOFs.
• Observation of remarkably long spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) and spin-spin relaxation time (T2) for the radicals, even at room temperature.
• Demonstration of the generality of long relaxation times in chromophore-assembled MOFs.

Conclusions:

• DAT-based MOFs provide a robust platform for generating persistent radicals.
• The long relaxation times of these photogenerated radicals are a key feature for practical applications.
• These findings establish a new avenue for developing advanced quantum sensing technologies utilizing MOF materials.