Impurities in cryogenic solids: a new platform for hybrid quantum systems

Abstract: Hybrid quantum systems offer a promising platform for studying quantum phenomena and developing applied technologies, benefiting from the individual strengths of their components. Here, we present a novel hybrid quantum platform composed of solid noble gas crystals doped with spin impurities atop superconducting resonators. The noble gas crystals provide a soft, inert, predominantly spin-0 host matrix for the atomic impurities, while the alkali atoms have addressable and long-lived hyperfine transitions in the GHz regime. We demonstrate the ability to reach the strong coupling regime between the atomic impurity ensemble and the superconducting resonator at mK temperatures, and perform coherence time measurements. Our proof-of-principle measurements show that this platform offers a unique architecture for exploring fundamental quantum effects and new quantum technologies.