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M. A. Eriksson

Publications and source records attributed to M. A. Eriksson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Progress Towards a Capacitively Mediated CNOT Between Two Charge Qubits in Si/SiGe

Fast operations, an easily tunable Hamiltonian, and a straightforward two-qubit interaction make charge qubits a useful tool for benchmarking device performance and exploring two-qubit dynamics. Here, we tune a linear chain of four Si/SiGe quantum dots to host two double dot charge qubits. Using the capacitance between the double dots to mediate a strong two-qubit interaction, we simultaneously drive coherent transitions to generate correlations between the qubits. We then sequentially pulse the qubits to drive one qubit conditionally on the state of the other. We find that a conditional $π$-rotation can be driven in just 74 ps with a modest fidelity demonstrating the possibility of two-qubit operations with a 13.5 GHz clockspeed.

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Majorana bound states in nanowire-superconductor hybrid systems in periodic magnetic fields

We study how the shape of a periodic magnetic field affects the presence of Majorana bound states (MBS) in a nanowire-superconductor system. Motivated by the field configurations that can be produced by an array of nanomagnets, we consider spiral fields with an elliptic cross-section and fields with two sinusoidal components. We show that MBS are robust to imperfect helical magnetic fields. In particular, if the amplitude of one component is tuned to the value determined by the superconducting order parameter in the wire, the MBS can exist even if the second component has a much smaller amplitude. We also explore the effect of the chemical potential on the phase diagram. Our analysis is both numerical and analytical, with good agreement between the two methods.

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Measurements of capacitive coupling within a quadruple quantum dot array

We present measurements of the capacitive coupling energy and the inter-dot capacitances in a linear quadruple quantum dot array in undoped Si/SiGe. With the device tuned to a regime of strong ($>$1 GHz) intra-double dot tunnel coupling, as is typical for double dot qubits, we measure a capacitive coupling energy of $20.9 \pm 0.3$ GHz. In this regime, we demonstrate a fitting procedure to extract all the parameters in the 4D Hamiltonian for two capacitively coupled charge qubits from a 2D slice through the quadruple dot charge stability diagram. We also investigate the tunability of the capacitive coupling energy, using inter-dot barrier gate voltages to tune the inter- and intra-double dot capacitances, and change the capacitive coupling energy of the double dots over a range of 15-32 GHz. We provide a model for the capacitive coupling energy based on the electrostatics of a network of charge nodes joined by capacitors, which shows how the coupling energy should depend on inter-double dot and intra-double dot capacitances in the network, and find that the expected trends agree well with the measurements of coupling energy.

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Enhancing the dipolar coupling of a $S$-$T_0$ qubit with a transverse sweet spot

A fundamental design challenge for quantum dot spin qubits is to extend the strength and range of qubit interactions while suppressing their coupling to the environment, since both effects have electrical origins. Key tools include the ability to retune the qubits, to take advantage of physical resources in different operating regimes, and to access optimal working points, or "sweet spots," where dephasing is minimized. Here, we explore an important, new resource for singlet-triplet qubits: a transverse sweet spot (TSS) that enables (i) direct transitions between qubit states, (ii) a strong, charge-like qubit coupling, and (iii) leading-order protection from electrical fluctuations. Of particular interest is the possibility of transitioning between the TSS and symmetric operating points while remaining continuously protected. This arrangement is ideal for coupling qubits to a microwave cavity, because it combines maximal tunability of the coupling strength with leading-order noise suppression. We perform simulations with $1/f$-type electrical noise, demonstrating that two-qubit gates mediated by a resonator can achieve fidelities $>99$\% under realistic conditions. These results greatly expand the toolbox for singlet-triplet qubits.

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Compressed Optimization of Device Architectures (CODA) for semiconductor quantum devices

Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled researchers to manipulate small collections of quantum mechanical objects with unprecedented accuracy. In semiconductor quantum dot qubits, this manipulation requires controlling the dot orbital energies, tunnel couplings, and the electron occupations. These properties all depend on the voltages placed on the metallic electrodes that define the device, whose positions are fixed once the device is fabricated. While there has been much success with small numbers of dots, as the number of dots grows, it will be increasingly useful to control these systems with as few electrode voltage changes as possible. Here, we introduce a protocol, which we call the Compressed Optimization of Device Architectures (CODA), in order to both efficiently identify sparse sets of voltage changes that control quantum systems, and to introduce a metric which can be used to compare device designs. As an example of the former, we apply this method to simulated devices with up to 100 quantum dots and show that CODA automatically tunes devices more efficiently than other common nonlinear optimizers. To demonstrate the latter, we determine the optimal lateral scale for a triple quantum dot, yielding a simulated device that can be tuned with small voltage changes on a limited number of electrodes.

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Benchmarking Gate Fidelities in a Si/SiGe Two-Qubit Device

We report the first complete characterization of single-qubit and two-qubit gate fidelities in silicon-based spin qubits, including cross-talk and error correlations between the two qubits. To do so, we use a combination of standard randomized benchmarking and a recently introduced method called character randomized benchmarking, which allows for more reliable estimates of the two-qubit fidelity in this system. Interestingly, with character randomized benchmarking, the two-qubit CPhase gate fidelity can be obtained by studying the additional decay induced by interleaving the CPhase gate in a reference sequence of single-qubit gates only. This work sets the stage for further improvements in all the relevant gate fidelities in silicon spin qubits beyond the error threshold for fault-tolerant quantum computation.

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Compressed optimization of device architectures

Note: This preprint has been superseded by arXiv:1806.04318. Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled researchers to control individual quantum mechanical objects with unprecedented accuracy, opening the door for both quantum and extreme-scale conventional computing applications. As these devices become larger and more complex, the ability to design them such that they can be simply controlled becomes a daunting and computationally infeasible task. Here, motivated by ideas from compressed sensing, we introduce a protocol for the Compressed Optimization of Device Architectures (CODA). It leads naturally to a metric for benchmarking device performance and optimizing device designs, and provides a scheme for automating the control of gate operations and reducing their complexity. Because CODA is computationally efficient, it is readily extensible to large systems. We demonstrate the CODA benchmarking and optimization protocols through simulations of up to eight quantum dots in devices that are currently being developed experimentally for quantum computation.

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The critical role of substrate disorder in valley splitting in Si quantum wells

Motivated by theoretical predictions that spatially complex concentration modulations of Si and Ge can increase the valley splitting in quantum wells, we grow and characterize Si/SiGe heterostructures with a thin, pure Ge layer at the top of the quantum well using chemical vapor deposition. We show that these heterostructures remain hosts for high-mobility electron gases. We measure two quantum wells with approximately five monolayers of pure Ge at the upper barrier, finding mobilities as high as 70,000 cm$^2$/Vs, compared to 100,000 cm$^2$/Vs measured in samples with no Ge layer. Activation energy measurements in quantum Hall states corresponding to Fermi levels in the gap between different valley states reveal energy gaps ranging from 30 to over 200 $μ$eV, and we extract a surprisingly strong dependence of the energy gap on electron density. We interpret our results using tight binding theory and argue that our results are evidence that atomic scale disorder at the quantum well interface dominates the behavior of the valley splittings of these modified heterostructures.

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A programmable two-qubit quantum processor in silicon

With qubit measurement and control fidelities above the threshold of fault-tolerance, much attention is moving towards the daunting task of scaling up the number of physical qubits to the large numbers needed for fault tolerant quantum computing. Here, quantum dot based spin qubits may offer significant advantages due to their potential for high densities, all-electrical operation, and integration onto an industrial platform. In this system, the initialisation, readout, single- and two-qubit gates have been demonstrated in various qubit representations. However, as seen with other small scale quantum computer demonstrations, combining these elements leads to new challenges involving qubit crosstalk, state leakage, calibration, and control hardware which provide invaluable insight towards scaling up. Here we address these challenges and demonstrate a programmable two-qubit quantum processor in silicon by performing both the Deutsch-Josza and the Grover search algorithms. In addition, we characterise the entanglement in our processor through quantum state tomography of Bell states measuring state fidelities between 85-89% and concurrences between 73-80%. These results pave the way for larger scale quantum computers using spins confined to quantum dots.

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Signatures of atomic-scale structure in the energy dispersion and coherence of a Si quantum-dot qubit

We report anomalous behavior in the energy dispersion of a three-electron double-quantum-dot hybrid qubit and argue that it is caused by atomic-scale disorder at the quantum-well interface. By employing tight-binding simulations, we identify potential disorder profiles that induce behavior consistent with the experiments. The results indicate that disorder can give rise to "sweet spots" where the decoherence caused by charge noise is suppressed, even in a parameter regime where true sweet spots are unexpected. Conversely, "hot spots" where the decoherence is enhanced can also occur. Our results suggest that, under appropriate conditions, interfacial atomic structure can be used as a tool to enhance the fidelity of Si double-dot qubits.

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A decoherence-free subspace in a charge quadrupole qubit

Quantum computing promises significant speed-up for certain types of computational problems. However, robust implementations of semiconducting qubits must overcome the effects of charge noise that currently limit coherence during gate operations. Here we describe a scheme for protecting solid-state qubits from uniform electric field fluctuations by generalizing the concept of a decoherence-free subspace for spins, and we propose a specific physical implementation: a quadrupole charge qubit formed in a triple quantum dot. The unique design of the quadrupole qubit enables a particularly simple pulse sequence for suppressing the effects of noise during gate operations. Simulations yield gate fidelities 10-1,000 times better than traditional charge qubits, depending on the magnitude of the environmental noise. Our results suggest that any qubit scheme employing Coulomb interactions (for example, encoded spin qubits or two-qubit gates) could benefit from such a quadrupolar design.

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Extending the coherence of a quantum dot hybrid qubit

Identifying and ameliorating dominant sources of decoherence are important steps in understanding and improving quantum systems. Here we show that the free induction decay time ($T_{2}^{*}$) and the Rabi decay rate ($Γ_{\mathrm{Rabi}}$) of the quantum dot hybrid qubit can be increased by more than an order of magnitude by appropriate tuning of the qubit parameters and operating points. By operating in the spin-like regime of this qubit, and choosing parameters that increase the qubit's resilience to charge noise (which we show is presently the limiting noise source for this qubit), we achieve a Ramsey decay time $T_{2}^{*}$ of $177~\mathrm{ns}$ and a Rabi decay time, $1/Γ_{\mathrm{Rabi}}$, exceeding $1~\mathrm{μs}$. We find that the slowest $Γ_{\mathrm{Rabi}}$ is limited by fluctuations in the Rabi frequency induced by charge noise and not by fluctuations in the qubit energy itself.

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Effects of charge noise on a pulse-gated singlet-triplet $S-T_-$ qubit

We study the dynamics of a pulse-gated semiconductor double quantum dot qubit. In our experiments, the qubit coherence times are relatively long, but the visibility of the quantum oscillations is low. We show that these observations are consistent with a theory that incorporates decoherence arising from charge noise that gives rise to detuning fluctuations of the double dot. Because effects from charge noise are largest near the singlet-triplet avoided level crossing, the visibility of the oscillations are low when the singlet-triplet avoided level crossing occurs in the vicinity of the charge degeneracy point crossed during the manipulation, but there is only modest dephasing at the large detuning value at which the quantum phase accumulates. This theory agrees well with experimental data and predicts that the visibility can be increased greatly by appropriate tuning of the interdot tunneling rate.

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Dressed photon-orbital states in a quantum dot: Inter-valley spin resonance

The valley degree of freedom is intrinsic to spin qubits in Si/SiGe quantum dots. It has been viewed alternately as a hazard, especially when the lowest valley-orbit splitting is small compared to the thermal energy, or as an asset, most prominently in proposals to use the valley degree of freedom itself as a qubit. Here we present experiments in which microwave electric field driving induces transitions between both valley-orbit and spin states. We show that this system is highly nonlinear and can be understood through the use of dressed photon-orbital states, enabling a unified understanding of the six microwave resonance lines we observe. Some of these resonances are inter-valley spin transitions that arise from a non-adiabatic process in which both the valley and the spin degree of freedom are excited simultaneously. For these transitions, involving a change in valley-orbit state, we find a tenfold increase in sensitivity to electric fields and electrical noise compared to pure spin transitions, strongly reducing the phase coherence when changes in valley-orbit index are incurred. In contrast to this non-adiabatic transition, the pure spin transitions, whether arising from harmonic or subharmonic generation, are shown to be adiabatic in the orbital sector. The non-linearity of the system is most strikingly manifest in the observation of a dynamical anti-crossing between a spin-flip, inter-valley transition and a three-photon transition enabled by the strong nonlinearity we find in this seemly simple system.

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Gate fidelity and coherence of an electron spin in a Si/SiGe quantum dot with micromagnet

The gate fidelity and the coherence time of a qubit are important benchmarks for quantum computation. We construct a qubit using a single electron spin in a Si/SiGe quantum dot and control it electrically via an artificial spin-orbit field from a micromagnet. We measure an average single-qubit gate fidelity of $\approx$ 99$\%$ using randomized benchmarking, which is consistent with dephasing from the slowly evolving nuclear spins in substrate. The coherence time measured using dynamical decoupling extends up to $\approx$ 400 $μ$s for 128 decoupling pulses, with no sign of saturation. We find evidence that the coherence time is limited by noise in the 10 kHz $-$ 1 MHz range, possibly because charge noise affecting the spin via the micromagnet gradient. This work shows that an electron spin in a Si/SiGe quantum dot is a good candidate for quantum information processing as well as for a quantum memory, even without isotopic purification.

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Characterization of a gate-defined double quantum dot in a Si/SiGe nanomembrane

We report the fabrication and characterization of a gate-defined double quantum dot formed in a Si/SiGe nanomembrane. In the past, all gate-defined quantum dots in Si/SiGe heterostructures were formed on top of strain-graded virtual substrates. The strain grading process necessarily introduces misfit dislocations into a heterostructure, and these defects introduce lateral strain inhomogeneities, mosaic tilt, and threading dislocations. The use of a SiGe nanomembrane as the virtual substrate enables the strain relaxation to be entirely elastic, eliminating the need for misfit dislocations. However, in this approach the formation of the heterostructure is more complicated, involving two separate epitaxial growth procedures separated by a wet-transfer process that results in a buried non-epitaxial interface 625 nm from the quantum dot. We demonstrate that in spite of this buried interface in close proximity to the device, a double quantum dot can be formed that is controllable enough to enable tuning of the inter-dot tunnel coupling, the identification of spin states, and the measurement of a singlet-to-triplet transition as a function of an applied magnetic field.

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High Fidelity Singlet-Triplet ${S}$-${T_-}$ Qubits in Inhomogeneous Magnetic Fields

We propose an optimal set of quantum gates for a singlet-triplet qubit in a double quantum dot with two electrons utilizing the $S$-$T_-$ subspace. Qubit rotations are driven by the applied magnetic field and an orthogonal field gradient provided by a micromagnet. We optimize the fidelity of this qubit as a function of magnetic fields, taking advantage of "sweet spots" where the rotation frequencies are independent of the energy level detuning, providing protection against charge noise. We simulate gate operations and qubit rotations in the presence of quasistatic noise from charge and nuclear spins as well as leakage to nonqubit states, and predict that in silicon quantum dots gate fidelities greater than $99\%$ can be achieved for two nearly-orthogonal rotation axes.

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Identifying single electron charge sensor events using wavelet edge detection

The operation of solid-state qubits often relies on single-shot readout using a nanoelectronic charge sensor, and the detection of events in a noisy sensor signal is crucial for high fidelity readout of such qubits. The most common detection scheme, comparing the signal to a threshold value, is accurate at low noise levels but is not robust to low-frequency noise and signal drift. We describe an alternative method for identifying charge sensor events using wavelet edge detection. The technique is convenient to use and we show that, with realistic signals and a single tunable parameter, wavelet detection can outperform thresholding and is significantly more tolerant to 1/f and low-frequency noise.

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