UCD physicist designs atom‑thin quantum materials in “Quantum Lego” project

Dr Nuala Caffrey, an assistant professor in the School of Physics at University College Dublin, is leading a Research Ireland‑funded project called Quantum Lego to design atom‑thin quantum materials.

Caffrey, who grew up in a rural agricultural background, chose theoretical physics for her CAO entry and later moved into materials‑based condensed‑matter physics during an undergraduate summer project in Stefano Sanvito’s group, which led to a PhD in computational spintronics.

Her current work focuses on computational modelling of quantum materials that could underpin future quantum technologies. By stacking flat networks of metal atoms and organic molecules one atom or molecule thick, her team aims to create layered structures whose combined properties exceed those of the individual layers.

The research targets control of electron spin – a quantum property essential for quantum information – and seeks to overcome challenges such as the loss of magnetism in atom‑thin magnets at higher temperatures. By varying the constituent atoms and the supporting layers, the team hopes to tune magnetic and electrical behaviour on demand.

Through the newly established Rinn Quantum Centre, Caffrey also uses early quantum computers to simulate the very materials she designs, aiming to find “the right materials for the job” in making qubits less fragile and operable at higher temperatures.

Source: Silicon Republic. Photo: Iurii Bannov / Pexels.