To build a quantum computer, it's essential to be able to quickly and efficiently manipulate the quantum states of qubits. The qubits, which are the basic unit of quantum information, can be composed of many different kinds of materials, although some work much better than others. With the goal of identifying which physical entities make the best qubits, a team of physicists from the University of California, Santa Barbara, has developed a list of characteristics and qualities that a material defect called deep centers should have in order to exhibit superior quantum mechanical properties.
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