Decoherence-free spin entanglement generation and purification in nanowire double quantum dots

We propose a deterministic generation and purification of decoherence-free spin entangled states with singlet-triplet spins in nanowire double quantum dots via resonator-assisted charge manipulation and measurement techniques. Each spin qubit corresponds to two electrons in a double quantum dot in the nanowire, with the singlet and one of the triplets as the decoherence-free qubit states. The logical qubits are immunized against the dominant source of decoherence-dephasing—while the influences of additional errors are shown by numerical simulations. We analyse the performance and stability of all required operations and emphasize that all techniques are feasible in current experimental conditions.     

Fast hybrid silicon double-quantum-dot qubit

We propose a quantum dot qubit architecture that has an attractive combination of speed and fabrication simplicity. It consists of a double quantum dot with one electron in one dot and two electrons in the other. The qubit itself is a set of two states with total spin quantum numbers S(2)=3/4 (S=1/2) and S(z)=-1/2, with the two different states being singlet and triplet in the doubly occupied dot. Gate operations can be implemented electrically and the qubit is highly tunable, enabling fast implementation of one- and two-qubit gates in a simpler geometry and with fewer operations than in other proposed quantum dot qubit architectures with fast operations. Moreover, the system has potentially long decoherence times. These are all extremely attractive properties for use in quantum information processing devices.     

Controllable anisotropic exchange coupling between spin qubits in quantum dots

The exchange coupling between quantum dot spin qubits is isotropic, which restricts the types of quantum gates that can be formed. Here, we propose a method for controlling anisotropic interactions between spins arranged in a bus geometry. The symmetry is broken by an external magnetic field, resulting in XXZ-type interactions that can efficiently generate maximally entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states or universal gate sets for exchange-only quantum computing. We exploit the XXZ couplings to propose a qubit scheme, based on double dots.     

Accuracy of circular polarization as a measure of spin polarization in quantum dot qubits

A quantum dot spin light emitting diode provides a test of carrier spin injection into a qubit and a means for analyzing carrier spin injection and local spin polarization. Even with 100% spin-polarized carriers the emitted light may be only partially circularly polarized due to the geometry of the dot. We have calculated carrier polarization-dependent optical matrix elements for InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots (SAQDs) for electron and hole spin injection into a range of quantum dot sizes and shapes, and for arbitrary emission directions. Calculations for typical SAQD geometries with emission along [110] show light that is only 5% circularly polarized for spin states that are 100% polarized along [110]. Measuring along the growth direction gives near unity conversion of spin to photon polarization and is the least sensitive to uncertainties in SAQD geometry.     

基于应变锗空穴双量子点的可调耦合和自旋阻塞研究

应变锗空穴量子点是实现超大规模量子计算最有前景的平台之一.由于锗空穴不受超精细相互作影响，有着较长的自旋弛豫时间和量子退相干时间，且锗中本征的强旋轨道耦合和空穴载流子的低有效质量，使得全电场操控空穴自旋量子比特得以实现，极大地降低了器件加工难度，增加了量子点的可扩展性.本文介绍了一种使用应变锗异质结制备重叠栅空穴双量子点器件的方法，完成了应变锗异质结性质测量，空穴双量子点器件制作，单量子点输运性质和双量子点输运性质研究，双量子点耦合可研究调节性研究，以及外磁场存在下的漏电流性质研究和泡利自旋阻塞解除机制的研究.这些工作为未来实现高质量自旋量子比特制备和高保真度量子逻辑门操控提供了实验平台和基本参数.     

Universal set of quantum gates for double-dot spin qubits with fixed interdot coupling

We propose a set of universal gate operations for the singlet-triplet qubit realized by two-electron spins in a double quantum dot, in the presence of a fixed inhomogeneous magnetic field. All gate operations are achieved by switching the potential offset between the two dots with an electrical bias, and do not require time-dependent control of the tunnel coupling between the dots. We analyze the two-electron dynamics and calculate the effective qubit rotation angle as a function of the applied electric bias. We present explicit gate sequences for single-qubit rotations about two orthogonal axes, and a CNOT gate sequence, completing the universal gate set.     

Spectroscopy of spin-orbit quantum bits in indium antimonide nanowires

A double quantum dot in the few-electron regime is achieved using local gating in an InSb nanowire. The spectrum of two-electron eigenstates is investigated using electric dipole spin resonance. Singlet-triplet level repulsion caused by spin-orbit interaction is observed. The size and the anisotropy of singlet-triplet repulsion are used to determine the magnitude and the orientation of the spin-orbit effective field in an InSb nanowire double dot. The obtained results are confirmed using spin blockade leakage current anisotropy and transport spectroscopy of individual quantum dots.     

Quantum information transfer between topological and spin qubit systems

We propose a method to coherently transfer quantum information, and to create entanglement, between topological qubits and conventional spin qubits. Our suggestion uses gated control to transfer an electron (spin qubit) between a quantum dot and edge Majorana modes in adjacent topological superconductors. Because of the spin polarization of the Majorana modes, the electron transfer translates spin superposition states into superposition states of the Majorana system, and vice versa. Furthermore, we show how a topological superconductor can be used to facilitate long-distance quantum information transfer and entanglement between spatially separated spin qubits.     

Charge and current beats in T-shaped qubit–detector systems

The time evolution of a charge qubit coupled electrostatically with different detectors in the forms of single, double and triple quantum dot linear systems in the T-shaped configuration between two reservoirs is theoretically considered. The correspondence between the qubit quantum dot oscillations and the detector current is studied for different values of the inter-dot tunneling amplitudes and the qubit–detector interaction strength. We have found that even for a qubit coupled with a single QD detector, the coherent beat patterns appear in the oscillations of the qubit charge. This effect is more evident for a qubit coupled with double or triple-QD detectors. The beats can be also observed in both the detector current and the detector quantum dot occupations. Moreover, in the presence of beats the qubit oscillations hold longer in time in comparison with the beats-free systems with monotonously decaying oscillations. The dependence of the qubit dynamics on different initial occupations of the detector sites (memory effect) is also analyzed.     

Decoherence in solid-state qubits

The interaction of solid-state qubits with environmental degrees of freedom strongly affects the qubit dynamics, and leads to decoherence. In quantum information processing with solid-state qubits, decoherence significantly limits the performances of such devices. Therefore, it is necessary to fully understand the mechanisms that lead to decoherence. In this review, we discuss how decoherence affects two of the most successful realizations of solid-state qubits, namely, spin qubits and superconducting qubits. In the former, the qubit is encoded in the spin 1/2 of the electron, and it is implemented by confining the electron spin in a semiconductor quantum dot. Superconducting devices show quantum behaviour at low temperatures, and the qubit is encoded in the two lowest energy levels of a superconducting circuit. The electron spin in a quantum dot has two main decoherence channels, a (Markovian) phonon-assisted relaxation channel, due to the presence of a spin–orbit interaction, and a (non-Markovian) spin bath constituted by the spins of the nuclei in the quantum dot that interact with the electron spin via the hyperfine interaction. In a superconducting qubit, decoherence takes place as a result of fluctuations in the control parameters, such as bias currents, applied flux and bias voltages, and via losses in the dissipative circuit elements.     

Is all-electrical silicon quantum computing feasible in the long term?

The development of the first generation of commercial quantum computers is based on superconductive qubits and trapped ions respectively. Other technologies such as semiconductor quantum dots, neutral ions and photons could in principle provide an alternative to achieve comparable results in the medium term. It is relevant to evaluate if one or more of them is potentially more effective to address scalability to millions of qubits in the long term, in view of creating a universal quantum computer. We review an all-electrical silicon spin qubit, that is the double quantum dot hybrid qubit, a quantum technology which relies on both solid theoretical grounding on one side, and massive fabrication technology of nanometric scale devices by the existing silicon supply chain on the other.     

Double-occupancy probability and entanglement of two holes in double Ge/Si quantum dots

We have calculated the exchange energy, double occupation probability of the lowest singlet state, and degree of entanglement of two holes in vertically coupled double Ge/Si quantum dots. We determined the conditions on which the exchange coupling is large enough for a fast swap operation in quantum computation and the double-occupancy probability is still low, thus maximizing the entanglement for a small computation error. We found that both the degree of entanglement and double-occupancy probability for quantum dots with different dot size collapse onto universal, size independent curves when plotted as a function of singlet-triplet splitting.     

Charge and spin manipulation in a few-electron double dot

We demonstrate high-speed manipulation of a few-electron double quantum dot. In the one-electron regime, the double dot forms a charge qubit. Microwaves are used to drive transitions between the (1,0) and (0,1) charge states of the double dot. A local quantum point contact charge detector measures the photon-induced change in occupancy of the charge states. Charge detection is used to measure and also provides a lower bound estimate for of 400 ps for the charge qubit. In the two-electron regime we use pulsed-gate techniques to measure the singlet–triplet relaxation time for nearly-degenerate spin states. These experiments demonstrate that the hyperfine interaction leads to fast spin relaxation at low magnetic fields. Finally, we discuss how two-electron spin states can be used to form a logical spin qubit.     

Enhancing the coherence of a spin qubit by operating it as a feedback loop that controls its nuclear spin bath

In many realizations of electron spin qubits the dominant source of decoherence is the fluctuating nuclear spin bath of the host material. The slowness of this bath lends itself to a promising mitigation strategy where the nuclear spin bath is prepared in a narrowed state with suppressed fluctuations. Here, this approach is realized for a two-electron spin qubit in a GaAs double quantum dot and a nearly tenfold increase in the inhomogeneous dephasing time T?* is demonstrated. Between subsequent measurements, the bath is prepared by using the qubit as a feedback loop that first measures its nuclear environment by coherent precession, and then polarizes it depending on the final state. This procedure results in a stable fixed point at a nonzero polarization gradient between the two dots, which enables fast universal qubit control.     

Valley-based noise-resistant quantum computation using Si quantum dots

We devise a platform for noise-resistant quantum computing using the valley degree of freedom of Si quantum dots. The qubit is encoded in two polarized (1,1) spin-triplet states with different valley compositions in a double quantum dot, with a Zeeman field enabling unambiguous initialization. A top gate gives a difference in the valley splitting between the dots, allowing controllable interdot tunneling between opposite valley eigenstates, which enables one-qubit rotations. Two-qubit operations rely on a stripline resonator, and readout on charge sensing. Sensitivity to charge and spin fluctuations is determined by intervalley processes and is greatly reduced as compared to conventional spin and charge qubits. We describe a valley echo for further noise suppression.     

Dynamically induced Kondo effect in double quantum dots

A new mechanism of resonance Kondo tunneling via a composite quantum dot (QD) is proposed. It is shown that, owing to the hidden dynamic spin symmetry, the Kondo effect can be induced by a finite voltage eV applied to the contacts at an even number N of electrons in a QD with zero spin in the ground state. As an example, a double QD is considered in a parallel geometry with N=2, which possesses the SO(4) type symmetry characteristic of a singlet-triplet pair. In this system, the Kondo peak of conductance appears at an eV value compensating for the exchange splitting.     

Effect of exchange interaction on spin dephasing in a double quantum dot

We measure singlet-triplet dephasing in a two-electron double quantum dot in the presence of an exchange interaction which can be electrically tuned from much smaller to much larger than the hyperfine energy. Saturation of dephasing and damped oscillations of the spin correlator as a function of time are observed when the two interaction strengths are comparable. Both features of the data are compared with predictions from a quasistatic model of the hyperfine field.     

Parameter-tunable doublet–quadruplet transition in a three-electron quantum dot

A three-electron quantum dot under an external magnetic field was studied. A number of phase diagrams have been obtained to demonstrate how the variation of the magnetic field and/or the parameters of confinement would lead to the occurrence of doublet–quadruplet transitions. Both the confinement with parabolic potential and the square well potential have been considered. We show that the parameters of confinement alter the ground state of the quantum dot from a spin doublet to a spin quadruplet. This result indicates that the quantum dot can be used as a good candidate for qubit of a quantum computer.     

Coherent single electron spin control in a slanting Zeeman field

We consider a single electron in a 1D quantum dot with a static slanting Zeeman field. By combining the spin and orbital degrees of freedom of the electron, an effective quantum two-level (qubit) system is defined. This pseudospin can be coherently manipulated by the voltage applied to the gate electrodes, without the need for an external time-dependent magnetic field or spin-orbit coupling. Single-qubit rotations and the controlled-NOT operation can be realized. We estimated the relaxation (T1) and coherence (T2) times and the (tunable) quality factor. This scheme implies important experimental advantages for single electron spin control.     

Coherent manipulation of electronic States in a double quantum dot

We investigate coherent time evolution of charge states (pseudospin qubit) in a semiconductor double quantum dot. This fully tunable qubit is manipulated with a high-speed voltage pulse that controls the energy and decoherence of the system. Coherent oscillations of the qubit are observed for several combinations of many-body ground and excited states of the quantum dots. Possible decoherence mechanisms in the present device are also discussed.