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arXiv:1310.2519 · Physical Review B

Coherent backaction of quantum dot detectors: Qubit isospin precession

Michael Hell, M. R. Wegewijs, David Peter Divincenzo

Published May 7, 2014• 11 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

A sensitive technique for the readout of the state of a qubit is based on the measurement of the conductance through a proximal sensor quantum dot (SQD). Here, we theoretically study the coherent backaction of such a measurement on a coupled SQD-charge-qubit system. We derive Markovian kinetic equations for the ensemble-averaged state of the SQD-qubit system, expressed in the coupled dynamics of two charge-state occupations of the SQD and two qubit isospin vectors, one for each SQD charge state. We find that aside from introducing dissipation, the detection also renormalizes the coherent evolution of the SQD-qubit system. Basically, if the electron on the detector has time to probe the qubit, then it also has time to fluctuate and thereby renormalize the system parameters. In particular, this induces torques on the qubit isospins, similar to the spin torque generated by the spintronic exchange field in noncollinear spin-valve structures. Second, we show that for a consistent description of the detection, one must also include the renormalization effects in the next-to-leading order in the electron tunneling rates, especially at the point of maximal sensitivity of the detector. Although we focus on a charge-qubit model, our findings are generic for qubit readout schemes that are based on spin-to-charge conversion using a quantum dot detector. Furthermore, our study of the stationary current through the SQD, a test measurement verifying that the qubit couples to the detector current, already reveals various significant effects of the isospin torques on the qubit. Our kinetic equations provide a starting point for further studies of the time evolution in charge-based qubit readout. Finally, we provide a rigorous sum rule that constrains such approximate descriptions of the qubit isospin dynamics and show that it is obeyed by our kinetic equations.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.89.195405

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A sensitive technique for the readout of the state of a qubit is based on the measurement of the conductance through a proximal sensor quantum dot (SQD). Here, we theoretically study the coherent backaction of such a measurement on a coupled SQD-charge-qubit system. We derive Markovian kinetic equations for the ensemble-averaged state of the SQD-qubit system, expressed in the coupled dynamics of two charge-state occupations of the SQD and two qubit isospin vectors, one for each SQD charge state. We find that aside from introducing dissipation, the detection also renormalizes the coherent evolution of the SQD-qubit system. Basically, if the electron on the detector has time to probe the qubit, then it also has time to fluctuate and thereby renormalize the system parameters. In particular, this induces torques on the qubit isospins, similar to the spin torque generated by the spintronic exchange field in noncollinear spin-valve structures. Second, we show that for a consistent description of the detection, one must also include the renormalization effects in the next-to-leading order in the electron tunneling rates, especially at the point of maximal sensitivity of the detector. Although we focus on a charge-qubit model, our findings are generic for qubit readout schemes that are based on spin-to-charge conversion using a quantum dot detector. Furthermore, our study of the stationary current through the SQD, a test measurement verifying that the qubit couples to the detector current, already reveals various significant effects of the isospin torques on the qubit. Our kinetic equations provide a starting point for further studies of the time evolution in charge-based qubit readout. Finally, we provide a rigorous sum rule that constrains such approximate descriptions of the qubit isospin dynamics and show that it is obeyed by our kinetic equations.
We theoretically investigate the backaction of a sensor quantum dot with strong local Coulomb repulsion on the transient dynamics of a qubit that is probed capacitively. We show that the measurement backaction induced by the noise of electron cotunneling through the sensor is surprisingly mitigated by the recently identified coherent backaction [M. Hell, M. R. Wegewijs, and D. P. DiVincenzo, Phys. Rev. B 89, 195405 (2014)] arising from quantum fluctuations. This indicates that a sensor with quantized states may be switched off better than naively expected. This renormalization effect is missing in semiclassical stochastic fluctuator models and typically also in Born-Markov approaches, which try to avoid the calculation of the nonstationary, nonequilibrium state of the qubit plus sensor. Technically, we integrate out the current-carrying electrodes to obtain kinetic equations for the joint, nonequilibrium detector-qubit dynamics. We show that the sensor current response, level renormalization, cotunneling broadening, and leading non-Markovian corrections always appear together and cannot be turned off individually in an experiment or ignored theoretically. We analyze the backaction on the reduced qubit state---capturing the full non-Markovian effects imposed by the sensor quantum dot on the qubit---by applying a Liouville-space decomposition into quasistationary and rapidly decaying modes. Importantly, the sensor cannot be eliminated completely even in the simplest high-temperature, weak-measurement limit since the qubit state experiences an initial slip depending on the initial preparation of qubit plus sensor quantum dot. The slip persists over many qubit cycles, i.e., also on the time scale of the qubit decoherence induced by the backaction. A quantum-dot sensor can thus not be modeled as usual as a ``black box'' without accounting for its dynamical variables; it is part of the quantum circuit. We furthermore find that the Bloch vector relaxes (rate 1/T11/{T}_{1}1/T1​) along an axis that is not orthogonal to the plane in which the Bloch vector dephases (rate 1/T21/{T}_{2}1/T2​), blurring the notions of relaxation and dephasing times. Moreover, the precessional motion of the Bloch vector is distorted into an ellipse in the tilted dephasing plane.
We consider the capacitive interaction between a charge qubit and a sensor quantum dot (SQD) perturbatively to the second order of their coupling constant at zero temperature by utilizing the method of nonequilibrium Green's functions together with infinite-UUU Lacroix approximation and employing Majorana fermion representation for qubit isospin operators. The effect of back-actions on dynamics of the system is taken into account by calculating the self-energies and the Green's functions in a self-consistent manner. To demonstrate the applicability of the method, we investigate relevant physical quantities of the system at zero and finite bias voltages. In the regime of weak SQD-qubit coupling, we find a linear relation between the stationary-state expectation values of the third component of the qubit isospin vector, $\ensuremath{\langle}{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{3}\ensuremath{\rangle}$, and the differential conductance of the SQD. Furthermore, our numerical results predict that the effect of SQD-qubit coupling on differential conductance of the SQD should be maximized at zero bias voltage. Moreover, we obtain an analytical expression to describe the behavior of the differential conductance of the SQD with respect to the qubit parameters. Our results at zero bias voltage are consistent with the results of numerical renormalization group method.
Measurement perturbs a quantum system by coupling it to external degrees of freedom, but detector backaction depends on the physical mechanism of measurement itself. In solid-state devices, detectors driven far from equilibrium to enable faster measurements produce backaction that can often be understood as classical noise. However, a strong measurement can also induce backaction from quantum many-body correlations in the detector that are intrinsic to the measurement, even without shot noise. Here, we probe this near-equilibrium backaction through the effect of a quantum-dot charge sensor on tunnelling between a second quantum dot and its reservoirs. The measurement realizes the Anderson Orthogonality Catastrophe (AOC): electrons in the detector leads reorganize in response to an abrupt change in local scattering potential, suppressing resonant tunnelling while enabling inelastic processes that exchange energy with the detector. Changing the detector energy level tunes the AOC backaction from negligible to dominant in the tunnelling dynamics. More broadly, these results establish detector-induced many-body correlations as a controllable influence on quantum dynamics.
The optically-induced coherent spin dynamics in a charged quantum dot (QD) is studied theoretically using a new dynamical model for rigorous description of circularly polarized ultrashort optical pulse resonant interactions with the electron-trion system. Generalized pseudospin master equation is derived for description of the time evolution of spin coherences and spin populations in terms of the real state pseudospin (coherence) vector including dissipation in the system through spin relaxation processes. The equation is solved in the time domain self-consistently with the vector Maxwell equations for the optical wave propagation coupled to it via macroscopic medium polarization. Using the model the long-lived electron spin coherence left behind a single resonant ultrashort optical excitation of the electron-trion transition in a charged QD is simulated in the lowand high-intensity Rabi oscillations regime. Signatures of the polarized photoluminescence (PL) resulting from the numerical simulations, such as the appearance of a second echo pulse after the excitation and a characteristic PL trace shape, specific for initial spin-up orientation, are discussed for realization of high-fidelity schemes for coherent readout of a single spin polarization state.
Quantum measurement always disturbs the quantum system being measured, which is known as measurement-induced backaction. We consider a specific model, a double quantum dot charge qubit measured by a nearby quantum point contact. We explore the evolution by deriving a master equation. The advantages of this master equation are (i) it has the Lindblad form and the non-Markovian effects are embodied in the time-dependent coefficients, (ii) the tunnelling and decay effect can be clearly understood in the master equation, and (iii) it can be further easily controlled by manipulate the Hamiltonian.
We describe time-dependent single-electron transport through quantum dots in the Coulomb blockade regime. Coherent dynamics of a single charge qubit in a double quantum dot is discussed with full one-qubit manipulation. Strength of decoherence is controlled with the applied voltage, but uncontrolled decoherence arises from electron–phonon coupling and background fluctuations. Then energy-relaxation dynamics is discussed for orbital and spin degree of freedom in a quantum dot. The electron–phonon interaction and spin–orbit coupling can be investigated as the dissipation problem. Finally, charge detection measurement is presented for statistical analysis of single-electron tunnelling transitions and for a sensitive qubit read-out device.