Quantum computation and quantum simulation with ultracold molecules

Ultracold molecules confined in optical lattices or tweezer traps can be used to process quantum information and simulate the behaviour of many-body quantum systems. Molecules offer several advantages for these applications. They have a large set of stable states with strong transitions between them and long coherence times. Molecules can be prepared in a chosen state with high fidelity, and the state populations can be measured efficiently. Control over their long-range dipole–dipole interactions can enable the entanglement of pairs of molecules, generating interesting and technologically useful many-body states. This Review covers the advances made so far in the field of quantum simulation and computation with ultracold molecules and the challenges still to overcome. The study of quantum systems in a programmable and controllable fashion is one of the aims of both quantum simulation and computing. This Review covers the prospects and opportunities that ultracold molecules offer in these fields.