Noise In Quantum Dot Research Articles

Scalable on-chip multiplexing of silicon single and double quantum dots

Owing to the maturity of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) microelectronics, qubits realized with spins in silicon quantum dots (QDs) are considered among the most promising technologies for building scalable quantum computers. For this goal, ultra-low-power on-chip cryogenic CMOS (cryo-CMOS) electronics for control, read-out, and interfacing of the qubits is an important milestone. We report on-chip interfacing of tunable electron and hole QDs by a 64-channel cryo-CMOS multiplexer with less-than-detectable static power dissipation. We analyze charge noise and measure state-of-the-art addition energies and gate lever arm parameters in the QDs. We correlate low noise in QDs and sharp turn-on characteristics in cryogenic transistors, both fabricated with the same gate stack. Finally, we demonstrate that our hybrid quantum-CMOS technology provides a route to scalable interfacing of a large number of QD devices, enabling, for example, variability analysis and QD qubit geometry optimization, which are prerequisites for building large-scale silicon-based quantum computers.

Reducing charge noise in quantum dots by using thin silicon quantum wells

Charge noise in the host semiconductor degrades the performance of spin-qubits and poses an obstacle to control large quantum processors. However, it is challenging to engineer the heterogeneous material stack of gate-defined quantum dots to improve charge noise systematically. Here, we address the semiconductor-dielectric interface and the buried quantum well of a 28Si/SiGe heterostructure and show the connection between charge noise, measured locally in quantum dots, and global disorder in the host semiconductor, measured with macroscopic Hall bars. In 5 nm thick 28Si quantum wells, we find that improvements in the scattering properties and uniformity of the two-dimensional electron gas over a 100 mm wafer correspond to a significant reduction in charge noise, with a minimum value of 0.29 ± 0.02 μeV/Hz½ at 1 Hz averaged over several quantum dots. We extrapolate the measured charge noise to simulated dephasing times to CZ-gate fidelities that improve nearly one order of magnitude. These results point to a clean and quiet crystalline environment for integrating long-lived and high-fidelity spin qubits into a larger system.

Estimation of the lowest limit of 1/f noise in semiconductor materials

A lowest limit of 1/f noise in semiconductor materials has not yet been reported; we do not even know if such a lowest limit exists. 1/f noise in semiconductors has recently been brought into relation with 1/f noise in quantum dots and other materials. These materials exhibit on-off states which are power-law distributed over a wide range of timescales. We transfer such findings to semiconductors, assuming that the g-r process is also controlled by such on-off states. As a result, we obtain 1/f noise which can be expressed as Hooge's relation. Based on the intermittent g-r process, we estimate the lowest limit of 1/f noise in semiconductor materials. We show that this limit is inversely proportional to the dopant concentration; to detect the lowest limit of 1/f noise, the number of centers should be as small as possible. We also find a smooth dependence of 1/f noise and g-r noise on time.

Electron spin noise under the conditions of nuclei-induced frequency focusing

We study theoretically the electron spin noise in quantum dots under non-equilibrium conditions caused by the pumping by a train of circularly polarized optical pulses. In such a situation, the nuclear spins are known to adjust in such a way, that the electron spin precession frequencies become multiples of the pump pulse repetition frequency. This so called phase synchronization effect was uncovered in [Science {\bf 317}, 1896 (2007)] and termed nuclei-induced frequency focusing of electron spin coherence. Using the classical approach to the central spin model we evaluate the nuclear spin distribution function and the electron spin noise spectrum. We show that the electron spin noise spectrum consists of sharp peaks corresponding to the phase synchronization conditions and directly reveal the distribution of the nuclear spins. We discuss the effects of nuclear spin relaxation after the pumping is over and analyze the corresponding evolution of nuclear spin distributions and electron spin noise spectra.

To the source of the noise

Distinguishing between different sources of noise in quantum dots could help to develop single-photon devices that are suitable for long-range entanglement.

Full counting statistics of electronic transport through interacting nanosystems

In this article I discuss the recent developments in the theory of Full Counting Statistics (FCS) when applied to interacting nanosystems. I start with a brief introduction of the FCS concept and its application to the nanoscopic electronic transport in the quasi-classical regime. After that, I describe two pathways from the respective limiting cases towards the more correlated regimes of interacting quantum transport. The first path starts from simple master equations and incorporates the increasingly important quantum-coherent effects due to tunneling via the introduction of memory into the Generalized Master Equation (GME) framework. The memory effects detectable via the FCS reflect the quantum-mechanical nature of the dynamics of the system as I show on the example of noise in quantum dots in the Fermi-edge-singularity regime. The second approach perturbatively incorporates many-body interactions into the initially noninteracting fully coherent limiting case via a generalization of the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism. This method is demonstrated on the example of the inelastic contribution to the noise in atomic wires.

Correlated hybridization induced super-Poissonian noise in quantum dots

Transport through molecules or quantum dots is sensitive to not only the localized interactions on the conductor but also the hybridization to the external leads. In this study, we investigate the noise properties of a single level quantum dot with correlated hybridizations to the leads. In contrast to the featureless dot-lead coupling used in previous studies, we show that the correlated hybridization can give rise to the electron bunching in the transport. As a result, the noise Fano factor may be enhanced to super-Poissonian when the tunneling strength depends strongly on the electron number on the dot. This super-Poissonian noise appears at high bias voltage which enables the transfer of electrons via the doubly occupied state.

Cotunneling Current and Shot Noise in Quantum Dots

We derive general expressions for the current and the shot noise, taking into account non-Markovian memory effects. In generalization of previous approaches, our theory is valid for an arbitrary Coulomb interaction and coupling strength and is applicable to quantum dots and more complex systems such as molecules. A fully consistent diagrammatic expansion up to second order in the coupling strength, taking into account cotunneling processes, allows for a study of transport in an intermediate coupling strength regime relevant to many current experiments. We discuss a single-level quantum dot as a first example, focusing on the Coulomb-blockade regime where the cotunneling processes dominate. We find super-Poissonian shot noise due to inelastic spin-flip cotunneling processes at an energy scale different from the one expected from first-order calculations.

Asymmetric Quantum Shot Noise in Quantum Dots

We analyze the frequency-dependent noise of a current through a quantum dot which is coupled to Fermi leads and which is in the Coulomb blockade regime. We show that the asymmetric shot noise, as a function of detection frequency, shows steps and becomes super-Poissonian. This provides experimental access to the quantum fluctuations of the current. We present an exact calculation of the noise for a single dot level and a perturbative evaluation of the noise in Born approximation (sequential tunneling regime but without Markov approximation) for the general case of many levels with charging interaction.

The Different Physical Origins of 1/f Noise and Superimposed RTS Noise in Light-Emitting Quantum Dot Diodes

Low frequency noise characteristics of light-emitting diodes with InAs quantum dots in GaInAs layer are investigated. Two noise components were found in experimental noise records: RTS, caused by burst noise, and 1/f Gaussian noise. Extraction of burst noise component from Gaussian noise background was performed using standard signal detection theory and advanced signal-processing techniques. It was found that Hooge's empirical relation applied to diodes by Kleinpenning is applicable to the electric 1/f noise in quantum dot diodes as well. Two different spectra decomposition techniques are used to obtain burst noise spectra. Bias dependences of burst and 1/f noise are compared. It is concluded that the RTS noise and 1/f noise have different physical origins in light-emitting diodes with quantum dots.