Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Jian-Huan Wang

Publications and source records attributed to Jian-Huan Wang.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Enhancing charge stability of Ge quantum well heterostructures via SiGe layer composition engineering

Composition modulation is a powerful technique for designing materials with tailored properties, fueling the development of advanced semiconductor devices. In this work, we have implemented this technique into Ge quantum well heterostructures, offering a promising avenue to address the critical challenge of charge stability in spin qubit devices. Harnessing the atomic-scale precision of molecular beam epitaxy, we have engineered the band structure of the SiGe top barrier via graded composition modulation, thereby reducing charge accumulation states at the SiGe-dielectric interface and strengthening the effective confinement to the hole gases in the Ge quantum wells. The enhanced charge stability of composition-modulated SiGe/Ge quantum well heterostructures is confirmed in Hall devices, featuring an enlarged stable gate voltage range. We have further fabricated quantum dot devices from the composition-modulated SiGe/Ge quantum well heterostructures and observed remarkably low charge noise with an averaged amplitude of $0.46\,\mathrm{μeV}/\mathrm{\sqrt{Hz}}$ at $1\,\mathrm{Hz}$---the lowest reported value for Ge quantum wells grown on silicon. This exceptional charge stability of the quantum dots persists in the few-hole regime, with no observable voltage drift over $\sim$hours. With reduced charge noise and enhanced energy stability, composition-modulated SiGe/Ge heterostructures exhibit significant potential for applications in building high-performance quantum devices, including spin qubits with a long coherence time.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Single-Crystalline Al/Ge Heterostructure with an Atomically Sharp Commensurate Interface

A key challenge in developing Al/Ge heterostructures for quantum applications is Al-Ge interdiffusion. This process is facilitated by grain boundaries in polycrystalline films, which degrades interface quality and impairs device performance and reliability. Here, we present epitaxial growth of single-crystalline Al(111) on Ge(111) by molecular beam epitaxy, achieving an atomically flat and sharp interface. At the interface, a commensurate 7-Al-lattice/5-Ge-lattice epitaxial relationship is observed, which dramatically reduces the intrinsic lattice mismatch from 28.4% to about 0.1%. Interestingly, this well-ordered interface does not form below a critical thickness of 0.3 nm. Instead, Al initially nucleates as random clusters, which then transform into two-dimensional (2D) islands and, as Al deposition further increases, eventually develop into a continuous film. By optimizing the growth parameters, we have achieved an ultra-flat Al film with a surface root-mean-square roughness of about 0.16 nm and an ultra-thin continuous film with thickness of only 2 nm. These epitaxially grown Al-Ge heterostructures, with their atomically flat surfaces and sharp interfaces, provide a promising platform for studying topological quantum states.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Supercurrent and multiple Andreev reflections in Ge hut nanowire Josephson Junctions

We report an experimental study of induced superconductivity in Ge hut nanowire Josephson junctions. The Ge hut nanowires are grown on prepatterned SiGe ridges via molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and Josephson junction devices are fabricated by contacting the nanowires with Al electrodes. Low-temperature current-bias transport measurements of the Josephson junctions are performed and the measurements show that the devices exhibit gate-tunable supercurrent and excess current. The analysis of excess current indicates that the transparency of the Ge hut nanowire Josephson junctions is as high as 85%. Voltage-bias spectroscopy measurements of the devices show multiple Andreev reflections up to the fourth order. With magnetic field and temperature-dependent measurements of the multiple Andreev reflections, the critical field and the critical temperature of the induced superconductivity in the Josephson junctions are extracted to be ~0.12 T and ~1.4 K. The success in introducing superconductivity into Ge hut nanowires will stimulate their applications in building advanced quantum processors.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Atomically resolved electron reflectivity at a metal/semiconductor interface

An atomically flat interface is achieved between face-centered cubic Al and diamond lattice Ge via molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Based on the measurements of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we demonstrate an atomically resolved lateral periodic change of the electron reflectivity at the Al/Ge interface. The variation of electron reflectivity is up to 24% in lateral 2 nm. We speculate that the change of reflectivity results from the local electronic states at the Al/Ge interface. This phenomenon provides an atomically non-destructive method for detecting the buried interfacial states in hetero-structures by STM.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Scalable and Tunable In-Plane Ge/Si(001) Nanowires Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Germanium nanostructures offer significant potential in developing advanced integrated circuit and disruptive quantum technologies, yet achieving both scalability and high carrier mobility remains a challenge in materials science. Here, we report an original low-temperature epitaxial method for growth of site-controlled in-plane germanium nanowires with high hole mobility by molecular beam epitaxy. By reducing the growth temperature, we effectively suppress Si-Ge interdiffusion, ensuring pure germanium composition within the nanowires while preserving their high crystalline quality. The method employs pre-patterned ridges on strain-relaxed Si$_{0.75}$Ge$_{0.25}$/Si(001) substrates as tailored templates, enabling control over the position, length, spacing and cross-sectional shape of the nanowires. Electrical measurements of field-effect devices made from as-grown germanium nanowires show that the nanowires are of hole conduction with mobility exceeding 7000 cm$^{2}$/Vs at 2-20 K. The method paves a way for fabrication of scalable germanium nanowire networks, providing a reliable platform for the developments of high-performance nanoelectronics and multi-qubit chips.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Self-controlled growth of highly uniform Ge/Si hut wires for scalable qubit devices

Semiconductor nanowires have been playing a crucial role in the development of nanoscale devices for the realization of spin qubits, Majorana fermions, single photon emitters, nanoprocessors, etc. The monolithic growth of site-controlled nanowires is a prerequisite towards the next generation of devices that will require addressability and scalability. Here, combining top-down nanofabrication and bottom-up self-assembly, we report on the growth of Ge wires on pre-patterned Si (001) substrates with controllable position, distance, length and structure. This is achieved by a novel growth process which uses a SiGe strain-relaxation template and can be generalized to other material combinations. Transport measurements show an electrically tunable spin-orbit coupling, with a spin-orbit length similar to that of III-V materials. Also, capacitive coupling between closely spaced wires is observed, which underlines their potential as a host for implementing two qubit gates. The reported results open a path towards scalable qubit devices with Si compatibility.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗