Electric-field driven donor-based charge qubits in semiconductors

Abstract

We theoretically investigate donor-based charge qubit operation driven by external electric fields. We consider initially a single electron bound to a shallow-donor pair in GaAs: This system, which is closely related to the homopolar molecular ion $\mathrm{H}_{2}{}^{+}$, allows the basic physics of the problem to be presented. In the case of Si, heteropolar configurations such as $\mathrm{P}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{Sb}}^{+}$ pairs are also considered. For both homopolar and heteropolar pairs, the multivalley conduction band structure of Si leads to short-period oscillations of the tunnel-coupling strength as a function of the relative position of the donors. However, for any fixed donor configuration, the response of the bound electron to a uniform electric field in Si is qualitatively very similar to the GaAs case, with no valley quantum-interference-related effects, leading to the conclusion that valley interference does not prevent the coherent manipulation of donor-based charge qubits by external electric fields.