arXiv subjects

Wei Wister Huang

Publications and source records attributed to Wei Wister Huang.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Entropy spectroscopy of a bilayer graphene quantum dot

We measure the entropy change of charge transitions in an electrostatically defined quantum dot in bilayer graphene. Entropy provides insights into the equilibrium thermodynamic properties of both ground and excited states beyond transport measurements. For the one-carrier regime, the obtained entropy shows that the ground state has a two-fold degeneracy lifted by an out-of-plane magnetic field. This observation is in agreement with previous direct transport measurements and confirms the applicability of this novel method. For the two-carrier regime, the extracted entropy indicates a non-degenerate ground state at zero magnetic field, contrary to previous studies suggesting a three-fold degeneracy. We attribute the degeneracy lifting to the effect of Kane-Mele type spin--orbit interaction on the two-carrier ground state, which has not been observed before. Our work demonstrates the validity and efficacy of entropy measurements as a unique, supplementary experimental tool to investigate the degeneracy of the ground state in quantum devices build in materials such as graphene. This technique, applied to exotic systems with fractional ground state entropies, will be a powerful tool in the study of quantum matter.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Tunable spin-orbit splitting in bilayer graphene/WSe$_2$ quantum devices

Bilayer graphene (BLG)-based quantum devices represent a promising platform for emerging technologies, such as quantum computing and spintronics. However, their intrinsically weak spin-orbit coupling (SOC) complicates spin and valley manipulation. Integrating BLG with transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) enhances the SOC via proximity effects. While this enhancement has been demonstrated in 2D-layered structures, 1D and 0D nanostructures in BLG/TMD remain unrealized, with open questions regarding SOC strength and tunability. Here, we investigate quantum point contacts and quantum dots in two BLG/WSe$_2$ heterostructures with different stacking orders. Across multiple devices, we reproducibly demonstrate spin-orbit splitting up to 1.5 meV - more than 1 order of magnitude higher than in pristine BLG. Furthermore, we show that the induced SOC can be tuned in situ from its maximum value to near-complete suppression via the perpendicular electric field. This enhancement and in situ tunability establish the SOC as a control mechanism for dynamic spin and valley manipulation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Spin-Valley Protected Kramers Pair in Bilayer Graphene

The intrinsic valley degree of freedom makes bilayer graphene (BLG) a unique platform for semiconductor qubits. The single-carrier quantum dot (QD) ground state exhibits a two-fold degeneracy, where the two states that constitute a Kramers pair, have opposite spin and valley quantum numbers. Because of the valley-dependent Berry curvature, an out-of-plane magnetic field breaks the time-reversal symmetry of this ground state and a qubit can be encoded in the spin-valley subspace. The Kramers states are protected against known spin- and valley-mixing mechanisms because mixing requires a simultaneous change of both quantum numbers. Here, we fabricate a tunable QD device in Bernal BLG and measure a spin-valley relaxation time for the Kramers states of ${38~\mathrm{s}}$, which is two orders of magnitude longer than the ${0.4~\mathrm{s}}$ measured for purely spin-blocked states. We also show that the intrinsic Kane-Mele spin-orbit splitting enables a Kramers doublet single-shot readout even at zero magnetic field with a fidelity above ${99\%}$. If these long-lived Kramers states also possess long coherence times and can be effectively manipulated, electrostatically defined QDs in BLG may serve as long-lived semiconductor qubits, extending beyond the spin qubit paradigm.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Dipole coupling of a bilayer graphene quantum dot to a high-impedance microwave resonator

We implement circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) with quantum dots in bilayer graphene, a maturing material platform for semiconductor qubits that can host long-lived spin and valley states. The presented device combines a high-impedance ($Z_\mathrm{r} \approx 1 \mathrm{kΩ}$) superconducting microwave resonator with a double quantum dot electrostatically defined in a graphene-based van der Waals heterostructure. Electric dipole coupling between the subsystems allows the resonator to sense the electric susceptibility of the double quantum dot from which we reconstruct its charge stability diagram. We achieve sensitive and fast detection with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.5 within 1 $μ\mathrm{s}$ integration time. The charge-photon interaction is quantified in the dispersive and resonant regimes by comparing the coupling-induced change in the resonator response to input-output theory, yielding a maximal coupling strength of $g/2π = 49.7 \mathrm{MHz}$. Our results introduce cQED as a probe for quantum dots in van der Waals materials and indicate a path toward coherent charge-photon coupling with bilayer graphene quantum dots.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Long-lived valley states in bilayer graphene quantum dots

Bilayer graphene is a promising platform for electrically controllable qubits in a two-dimensional material. Of particular interest is the ability to encode quantum information in the so-called valley degree of freedom, a two-fold orbital degeneracy that arises from the symmetry of the hexagonal crystal structure. The use of valleys could be advantageous, as known spin- and orbital-mixing mechanisms are unlikely to be at work for valleys, promising more robust qubits. The Berry curvature associated with valley states allows for electrical control of their energies, suggesting routes for coherent qubit manipulation. However, the relaxation time of valley states -- which ultimately limits these qubits' coherence properties and therefore their suitability as practical qubits -- is not yet known. Here, we measure the characteristic relaxation times of these spin and valley states in gate-defined bilayer graphene quantum dot devices. Different valley states can be distinguished from each other with a fidelity of over 99%. The relaxation time between valley triplets and singlets exceeds 500ms, and is more than one order of magnitude longer than for spin states. This work facilitates future measurements on valley-qubit coherence, demonstrating bilayer graphene as a practical platform hosting electrically controlled long-lived valley qubits.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Three-carrier spin blockade and coupling in bilayer graphene double quantum dots

The spin degree of freedom is crucial for the understanding of any condensed matter system. Knowledge of spin-mixing mechanisms is not only essential for successful control and manipulation of spin-qubits, but also uncovers fundamental properties of investigated devices and material. For electrostatically-defined bilayer graphene quantum dots, in which recent studies report spin-relaxation times T1 up to 50ms with strong magnetic field dependence, we study spin-blockade phenomena at charge configuration $(1,2)\leftrightarrow(0,3)$. We examine the dependence of the spin-blockade leakage current on interdot tunnel coupling and on the magnitude and orientation of externally applied magnetic field. In out-of-plane magnetic field, the observed zero-field current peak could arise from finite-temperature co-tunneling with the leads; though involvement of additional spin- and valley-mixing mechanisms are necessary for explaining the persistent sharp side peaks observed. In in-plane magnetic field, we observe a zero-field current dip, attributed to the competition between the spin Zeeman effect and the Kane-Mele spin-orbit interaction. Details of the line shape of this current dip however, suggest additional underlying mechanisms are at play.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Pauli Blockade of Tunable Two-Electron Spin and Valley States in Graphene Quantum Dots

Pauli blockade mechanisms -- whereby carrier transport through quantum dots is blocked due to selection rules even when energetically allowed -- are a direct manifestation of the Pauli exclusion principle, as well as a key mechanism for manipulating and reading out spin qubits. Pauli spin blockade is well established for systems such as GaAs QDs, but is to be further explored for systems with additional degrees of freedom, such as the valley quantum numbers in carbon-based materials or silicon. Here we report experiments on coupled bilayer graphene double quantum dots, in which the spin and valley states are precisely controlled, enabling the observation of the two-electron combined blockade physics. We demonstrate that the doubly occupied single dot switches between two different ground states with gate and magnetic-field tuning, allowing for the switching of selection rules: with a spin-triplet--valley-singlet ground state, valley-blockade is observed; and with the spin-singlet--valley-triplet ground state, robust spin blockade is shown.

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