arXiv subjects

Giordano Scappucci

Publications and source records attributed to Giordano Scappucci.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Mitigation of exchange cross-talk in dense quantum dot arrays

Coupled spins in semiconductor quantum dots are a versatile platform for quantum computing and simulations of complex many-body phenomena. However, on the path of scale-up, cross-talk from densely packed electrodes poses a severe challenge. While cross-talk onto the dot potentials is nowadays routinely compensated for, cross-talk on the exchange interaction is much more difficult to tackle because it is not always directly measurable. Here we propose and implement a way of characterizing and compensating cross-talk on adjacent exchange interactions by following the singlet-triplet avoided crossing in Ge. We show that we can easily identify the barrier-to-barrier cross-talk element without knowledge of the particular exchange value in a 2x4 quantum dot array. We uncover striking differences among these cross-talk elements which can be linked to the geometry of the device and the barrier gate fan-out. We validate the methodology by tuning up four-spin Heisenberg chains. The same methodology should be applicable to longer chains of spins and to other semiconductor platforms in which mixing of the singlet and the lowest-energy triplet is present or can be engineered. Additionally, this procedure is well suited for automated tuning routines as we obtain a stand-out feature that can be easily tracked and directly returns the magnitude of the cross-talk.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Optimising germanium hole spin qubits with a room-temperature magnet

Germanium spin qubits exhibit strong spin-orbit interaction, which allow for high-fidelity qubit control, but also provide a strong dependence on the magnetic field. Superconducting vector magnets are often used to minimize dephasing due to hyperfine interactions and to maximize spin control, but these compromise the sample space and thus challenge scalability. Here, we explore whether a permanent magnet outside the cryostat can be used as an alternative. Operating in a hybrid mode with an internal and external magnet, we find that we can fine-tune the magnetic field to an in-plane orientation. We obtain a qubit dephasing time T2*=13 microseconds, Hahn-echo times T2H=88 microseconds, and an average single-qubit Clifford gate fidelity above 99.9%, from which we conclude that room temperature magnets allow for high qubit performance. Furthermore, we probe the qubit resonance frequency using only the external magnet, with the internal superconducting magnet switched off. Our approach may be used to scale semiconductor qubits and use the increased sample space for the integration of cryogenic control circuitry and wiring to advance to large-scale quantum processors.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

High-fidelity single-spin shuttling in silicon

The computational power and fault-tolerance of future large-scale quantum processors derive in large part from the connectivity between the qubits. One approach to increase connectivity is to engineer qubit-qubit interactions at a distance. Alternatively, the connectivity can be increased by physically displacing the qubits. This has been explored in trapped-ion experiments and using neutral atoms trapped with optical tweezers. For semiconductor spin qubits, several studies have investigated spin coherent shuttling of individual electrons, but high-fidelity transport over extended distances remains to be demonstrated. Here we report shuttling of an electron inside an isotopically purified Si/SiGe heterostructure using electric gate potentials. First, we form static quantum dots, and study how spin coherence decays as we repeatedly move a single electron between up to five dots. Next, we create a traveling wave potential to transport an electron in a moving quantum dot. This second method shows substantially better spin coherence than the first. It allows us to displace an electron over an effective distance of 10 $μ$m in under 200 ns with an average fidelity of 99.5%. These results will guide future efforts to realize large-scale semiconductor quantum processors, making use of electron shuttling both within and between qubit arrays.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Optical spin pumping in silicon

The generation of an out-of-equilibrium population of spin-polarized carriers is a keystone process for quantum technologies and spintronics alike. It can be achieved through the so-called optical spin orientation by exciting the material with circularly polarized light. Although this is an established technique for studying direct band-gap semiconductors, it has been proven limited in materials like Si that possess weak oscillator strengths for the optical transitions. In this study, we address the problem by presenting an all-optical analog of the spin pumping method. This involves the optical creation of a non-equilibrium spin population within an absorber, which subsequently transfers spin-polarized carriers to a nearby indirect gap semiconductor, resulting in polarized emission from the latter. By applying this concept to a Ge-on-Si heterostructure we observe luminescence from Si with an unrivaled polarization degree as high as 9%. The progressive etching of the absorbing layer, assisted by magneto-optic experiments, allows us to ascertain that the polarized emission is determined by effective spin injection aided by the carrier lifetime shortening due to extended defects. These findings can facilitate the use of highly promising spin-dependent phenomena of Si, whose optical exploitation has thus far been hampered by fundamental limitations associated with its peculiar electronic structure.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Site-resolved magnon and triplon dynamics on a programmable quantum dot spin ladder

Quasi-particle dynamics in interacting systems in the presence of disorder challenges the notion of internal thermalization, but proves difficult to investigate theoretically for large particle numbers. Engineered quantum systems may offer a viable alternative, as witnessed in experimental demonstrations in a variety of physical platforms, each with its own capabilities and limitations. Semiconductor gate-defined quantum dot arrays are of particular interest since they offer both a direct mapping of their Hamiltonian to Fermi-Hubbard and Heisenberg models and the in-situ tunability of (magnetic) interactions and onsite potentials. In this work, we use an array of germanium quantum dots to simulate the dynamics of both single-spin excitations (magnons) and two-spin excitations (triplons). We develop a methodology that combines digital spin qubit operations for state preparation and readout with analog evolution under the full system Hamiltonian. Using these techniques, we can reconstruct quantum walk plots for both magnons and triplons, and for various configurations of Heisenberg exchange couplings. We furthermore explore the effect of single-site disorder and its impact on the propagation of spin excitations. The obtained results can provide a basis for simulating disorder-based solid-state phenomena such as many-body localization.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Engineering Ge profiles in Si/SiGe heterostructures for increased valley splitting

Electron spin qubits in Si/SiGe quantum wells are limited by the small and variable energy separation of the conduction band valleys. While sharp quantum well interfaces are pursued to increase the valley splitting energy deterministically, here we explore an alternative approach to enhance the valley splitting on average. We grow increasingly thinner quantum wells with broad interfaces to controllably increase the overlap of the electron wave function with Ge atoms. In these quantum wells, comprehensive quantum Hall measurements of two-dimensional electron gases reveal a linear correlation between valley splitting and disorder. Benchmarked against quantum wells with sharp interfaces, we demonstrate enhanced valley splitting while maintaining a low-disorder potential environment. Simulations using the experimental Ge concentration profiles predict an average valley splitting in quantum dots that matches the enhancement observed in two-dimensional systems. Our results motivate the experimental realization of quantum dot spin qubits in these heterostructures.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Modular Autonomous Virtualization System for Two-Dimensional Semiconductor Quantum Dot Arrays

Arrays of gate-defined semiconductor quantum dots are among the leading candidates for building scalable quantum processors. High-fidelity initialization, control, and readout of spin qubit registers require exquisite and targeted control over key Hamiltonian parameters that define the electrostatic environment. However, due to the tight gate pitch, capacitive crosstalk between gates hinders independent tuning of chemical potentials and interdot couplings. While virtual gates offer a practical solution, determining all the required cross-capacitance matrices accurately and efficiently in large quantum dot registers is an open challenge. Here, we establish a modular automated virtualization system (MAViS) -- a general and modular framework for autonomously constructing a complete stack of multilayer virtual gates in real time. Our method employs machine learning techniques to rapidly extract features from two-dimensional charge stability diagrams. We then utilize computer vision and regression models to self-consistently determine all relative capacitive couplings necessary for virtualizing plunger and barrier gates in both low- and high-tunnel-coupling regimes. Using MAViS, we successfully demonstrate accurate virtualization of a dense two-dimensional array comprising ten quantum dots defined in a high-quality Ge/SiGe heterostructure. Our work offers an elegant and practical solution for the efficient control of large-scale semiconductor quantum dot systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Workflow for Transmission Electron Microscopy: From Data Analysis Automation to Materials Knowledge Unveiling

(Scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) has significantly advanced materials science but faces challenges in correlating precise atomic structure information with the functional properties of devices due to its time-intensive nature. To address this, we introduce an analytical workflow for the holistic characterization, modelling, and simulation of device heterostructures. This workflow automates the experimental (S)TEM data analysis, providing an in-depth characterization of crystallographic information, 3D orientation, elemental composition, and strain distribution. It reduces a process that typically takes days for a trained human into an automatic routine solved in minutes. Utilizing a physics-guided artificial intelligence model, it generates representative descriptions of materials and samples. The workflow culminates in creating digital twins, 3D finite element and atomic models of millions of atoms, enabling simulations that provide crucial insights into device behaviour in practical applications. Demonstrated with SiGe planar heterostructures for scalable spin qubits, the workflow links digital twins to theoretical properties, revealing how atomic structure impacts materials and functional properties such as spatially-resolved phononic or electronic characteristics, or (inverse) spin orbit lengths. The versatility of our workflow is demonstrated through its application to a wide array of materials systems, device configurations, and sample morphologies.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Two-qubit logic and teleportation with mobile spin qubits in silicon

The scalability and power of quantum computing architectures depend critically on high-fidelity operations and robust and flexible qubit connectivity. In this respect, mobile qubits are particularly attractive as they enable dynamic and reconfigurable qubit arrays. This approach allows quantum processors to adapt their connectivity patterns during operation, implement different quantum error correction codes on the same hardware, and optimize resource utilization through dedicated functional zones for specific operations like measurement or entanglement generation. Such flexibility also relieves architectural constraints, as recently demonstrated in atomic systems based on trapped ions and neutral atoms manipulated with optical tweezers. In solid-state platforms, highly coherent shuttling of electron spins was recently reported. A key outstanding question is whether it may be possible to perform quantum gates directly on the mobile spins. In this work, we demonstrate two-qubit operations between two electron spins carried towards each other in separate traveling potential minima in a semiconductor device. We find that the interaction strength is highly tunable by their spatial separation, achieving an average two-qubit gate fidelity of about 99\%. Additionally, we implement conditional post-selected quantum state teleportation between spatially separated qubits with an average gate fidelity of 87\%, showcasing the potential of mobile spin qubits for non-local quantum information processing. We expect that operations on mobile qubits will become a universal feature of future large-scale semiconductor quantum processors.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Unified evolutionary optimization for high-fidelity spin qubit operations

Developing optimal strategies to calibrate quantum processors for high-fidelity operation is one of the outstanding challenges in quantum computing today. Here, we demonstrate multiple examples of high-fidelity operations achieved using a unified global optimization-driven automated calibration routine on a six dot semiconductor quantum processor. Within the same algorithmic framework we optimize readout, shuttling and single-qubit quantum gates by tailoring task-specific cost functions and tuning parameters based on the underlying physics of each operation. Our approach reaches systematically $99\%$ readout fidelity, $>99\%$ shuttling fidelity over an effective distance of 10$μ$m, and $>99.5\%$ single-qubit gate fidelity on timescales similar or shorter compared to those of expert human operators. The flexibility of our gradient-free closed loop algorithmic procedure allows for seamless application across diverse qubit functionalities while providing a systematic framework to tune-up semiconductor quantum devices and enabling interpretability of the identified optimal operation points.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

A two-dimensional 10-qubit array in germanium with robust and localised qubit control

Quantum computers require the systematic operation of qubits with high fidelity. For holes in germanium, the spin-orbit interaction allows for \textit{in situ} electric fast and high-fidelity qubit gates. However, the interaction also causes a large qubit variability due to strong g-tensor anisotropy and dependence on the environment. Here, we leverage advances in material growth, device fabrication, and qubit control to realise a two-dimensional 10-spin qubit array, with qubits coupled up to four neighbours that can be controlled with high fidelity. By exploring the large parameter space of gate voltages and quantum dot occupancies, we demonstrate that plunger gate driving in the three-hole occupation enhances electric-dipole spin resonance (EDSR), creating a highly localised qubit drive. Our findings, confirmed with analytical and numerical models, highlight the crucial role of intradot Coulomb interaction and magnetic field direction. Furthermore, the ability to engineer qubits for robust control is a key asset for further scaling.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Exploiting epitaxial strained germanium for scaling low noise spin qubits at the micron-scale

Disorder in the heterogeneous material stack of semiconductor spin qubit systems introduces noise that compromises quantum information processing, posing a challenge to coherently control large-scale quantum devices. Here, we exploit low-disorder epitaxial strained quantum wells in Ge/SiGe heterostructures grown on Ge wafers to comprehensively probe the noise properties of complex micron-scale devices comprising of up to ten quantum dots and four rf-charge sensors arranged in a two-dimensional array. We demonstrate an average charge noise of $\sqrt{S_{0}}=0.3(1)$ $μ\mathrm{eV}/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ at 1 Hz across different locations on the wafer, providing a benchmark for quantum confined holes. We then establish hole-spin qubit control in these heterostructures and extend our investigation from electrical to magnetic noise through spin echo measurements. Exploiting dynamical decoupling sequences, we quantify the power spectral density components arising from the hyperfine interaction with $^{73}$Ge spinful isotopes and identify coherence modulations associated with the interaction with the $^{29}$Si nuclear spin bath near the Ge quantum well. We estimate an integrated hyperfine noise amplitude $σ_f$ of 180(8) kHz from $^{73}$Ge and of 47(5) kHz from $^{29}$Si, underscoring the need for full isotopic purification of the qubit host environment.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Bichromatic Rabi Control of Semiconductor Qubits

Electrically driven spin resonance is a powerful technique for controlling semiconductor spin qubits. However, it faces challenges in qubit addressability and off-resonance driving in larger systems. We demonstrate coherent bichromatic Rabi control of quantum dot hole spin qubits, offering a spatially selective approach for large qubit arrays. By applying simultaneous microwave bursts to different gate electrodes, we observe multichromatic resonance lines and resonance anticrossings that are caused by the ac Stark shift. Our theoretical framework aligns with experimental data, highlighting interdot motion as the dominant mechanism for bichromatic driving.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Baseband control of single-electron silicon spin qubits in two dimensions

Micromagnet-enabled electric-dipole spin resonance (EDSR) is an established method of high-fidelity single-spin control in silicon. However, the resulting architectural limitations have restrained silicon quantum processors to one-dimensional arrays, and heating effects from the associated microwave dissipation exacerbates crosstalk during multi-qubit operations. In contrast, qubit control based on hopping spins has recently emerged as a compelling primitive for high-fidelity baseband control in sparse two-dimensional hole arrays in germanium. In this work, we commission a $^{28}$Si/SiGe 2x2 quantum dot array both as a four-qubit device with pairwise exchange interactions using established EDSR techniques and as a two-qubit device using baseband hopping control. In this manner, we can evaluate the two modes of operation in terms of fidelity, coherence, and crosstalk. We establish a lower bound on the fidelity of the hopping gate of 99.50(6)%, which is similar to the average fidelity of the resonant gate of 99.54(4)%. Lowering the external field to reach the hopping regime nearly doubles the measured $T_2^{\mathrm{H}}$, suggesting a reduced coupling to charge noise. Finally, the hopping gate circumvents the transient pulse-induced resonance shift. To further motivate the hopping gate approach as an attractive means of scaling silicon spin-qubit arrays, we propose an extensible nanomagnet design that enables engineered baseband control of large spin arrays.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

A quantum dot in germanium proximitized by a superconductor

Planar germanium quantum wells have recently been shown to host hard-gapped superconductivity. Additionally, quantum dot spin qubits in germanium are well-suited for quantum information processing, with isotopic purification to a nuclear spin-free material expected to yield long coherence times. Therefore, as one of the few group IV materials with the potential to host superconductor-semiconductor hybrid devices, proximitized quantum dots in germanium is a compelling platform to achieve and combine topological superconductivity with existing and novel qubit modalities. Here we demonstrate a quantum dot (QD) in a Ge/SiGe heterostructure proximitized by a platinum germanosilicide (PtGeSi) superconducting lead (SC), forming a SC-QD-SC junction. We show tunability of the QD-SC coupling strength, as well as gate control of the ratio of charging energy and the induced gap. We further exploit this tunability by exhibiting control of the ground state of the system between even and odd parity. Furthermore, we characterize the critical magnetic field strengths, finding a critical out-of-plane field of 0.90(4). Finally we explore sub-gap spin splitting in the device, observing rich physics in the resulting spectra, that we model using a zero-bandwidth model in the Yu-Shiba-Rusinov limit. The demonstration of controllable proximitization at the nanoscale of a germanium quantum dot opens up the physics of novel spin and superconducting qubits, and Josephson junction arrays in a group IV material.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Charge-induced energy shift of a single-spin qubit under a magnetic-field gradient

An electron confined by a semiconductor quantum dot (QD) can be displaced by changes in electron occupations of surrounding QDs owing to the Coulomb interaction. For a single-spin qubit in an inhomogeneous magnetic field, such a displacement of the host electron results in a qubit energy shift which must be handled carefully for high-fidelity operations. Here we spectroscopically investigate the qubit energy shift induced by changes in charge occupations of nearby QDs for a silicon single-spin qubit in a magnetic-field gradient. Between two different charge configurations of an adjacent double QD, a spin qubit shows an energy shift of about 4 MHz, which necessitates strict management of electron positions over a QD array. We confirm a correlation between the qubit frequency and the charge configuration by using a postselection analysis.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Reducing disorder in Ge quantum wells by using thick SiGe barriers

We investigate the disorder properties of two-dimensional hole gases in Ge/SiGe heterostructures grown on Ge wafers, using thick SiGe barriers to mitigate the influence of the semiconductor-dielectric interface. Across several heterostructure field effect transistors we measure an average maximum mobility of $(4.4 \pm 0.2) \times 10^{6}~\mathrm{cm^2/Vs}$ at a saturation density of $(1.72 \pm 0.03) \times 10^{11}~\mathrm{cm^{-2}}$, corresponding to a long mean free path of $(30 \pm 1)~\mathrm{μm}$. The highest measured mobility is $4.68 \times 10^{6}~\mathrm{cm^2/Vs}$. We identify uniform background impurities and interface roughness as the dominant scattering mechanisms limiting mobility in a representative device, and we evaluate a percolation-induced critical density of $(4.5 \pm 0.1)\times 10^{9} ~\mathrm{cm^{-2}}$. This low-disorder heterostructure, according to simulations, may support the electrostatic confinement of holes in gate-defined quantum dots.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Operating semiconductor quantum processors with hopping spins

Qubits that can be efficiently controlled are essential for the development of scalable quantum hardware. While resonant control is used to execute high-fidelity quantum gates, the scalability is challenged by the integration of high-frequency oscillating signals, qubit crosstalk and heating. Here, we show that by engineering the hopping of spins between quantum dots with site-dependent spin quantization axis, quantum control can be established with discrete signals. We demonstrate hopping-based quantum logic and obtain single-qubit gate fidelities of 99.97\%, coherent shuttling fidelities of 99.992\% per hop, and a two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.3\%, corresponding to error rates that have been predicted to allow for quantum error correction. We also show that hopping spins constitute a tuning method by statistically mapping the coherence of a 10-quantum dot system. Our results show that dense quantum dot arrays with sparse occupation could be developed for efficient and high-connectivity qubit registers.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗