A bismuth atom in one slice of a silicon crystal. The large light green cloud shows the bound electron wavefunction, and the purple arrow is its spin. The bismuth nuclear spin (blue arrow) can tilt in ten different directions, shown in red and yellow. Initialization, manipulation and storage of quantum information has been demonstrated for this system: G.Morley et al, Nature Materials 9, 725 (2010). Additionally, theoretical work shows the advantages of bismuth qubits in silicon: M. H. Mohammady, G. W. Morley, and T. S. Monteiro. Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 067602 (2010).

Image courtesy: Dr. Gavin W. Morley, London Centre for Nanotechnology and Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University College London. Artwork by Manuel Vögtli (LCN).