Dispersive readout of molecular spin qudits

Abstract

We study the physics of a magnetic molecule described by a "giant" spin with multiple ($d > 2$) spin states interacting with the quantized cavity field produced by a superconducting resonator. By means of the input-output formalism, we derive an expression for the output modes in the dispersive regime of operation. It includes the effect of magnetic anisotropy, which makes different spin transitions addressable. We find that the measurement of the cavity transmission allows to uniquely determine the spin state of the qudits. We discuss, from an effective Hamiltonian perspective, the conditions under which the qudit read-out is a non-demolition measurement and consider possible experimental protocols to perform it. Finally, we illustrate our results with simulations performed for realistic models of existing magnetic molecules.