Abstract We study the implications of spin–orbit interaction (SOI) for two-qubit gates (TQGs) in semiconductor spin qubit platforms. SOI renders the exchange interaction governing qubit pairs anisotropic, posing a serious challenge for conventional TQGs derived for the isotropic Heisenberg exchange. Starting from microscopic level, we develop a concise computational Hamiltonian that captures the essence of SOI, and use it to derive properties of the rotating-frame time evolutions. Two key findings are made. First, for the controlled-phase/controlled-Z gate, we show and analytically prove the existence of ‘SOI nodes’ where the fidelity can be optimally enhanced, with only slight modifications in terms of gate time and local phase corrections. Second, we discover and discuss novel two-qubit dynamics that are inaccessible without SOI—the reflection gate and the direct controlled-not gate (CNOT). The relevant conditions and achievable fidelities are explicitly derived for the direct CNOT.
Abstract We study the implications of spin–orbit interaction (SOI) for two-qubit gates (TQGs) in semiconductor spin qubit platforms. SOI renders the exchange interaction governing qubit pairs anisotropic, posing a serious challenge for conventional TQGs derived for the isotropic Heisenberg exchange. Starting from microscopic level, we develop a concise computational Hamiltonian that captures the essence of SOI, and use it to derive properties of the rotating-frame time evolutions. Two key findings are made. First, for the controlled-phase/controlled-Z gate, we show and analytically prove the existence of ‘SOI nodes’ where the fidelity can be optimally enhanced, with only slight modifications in terms of gate time and local phase corrections. Second, we discover and discuss novel two-qubit dynamics that are inaccessible without SOI—the reflection gate and the direct controlled-not gate (CNOT). The relevant conditions and achievable fidelities are explicitly derived for the direct CNOT.
Shuttling spin qubits in systems with large spin-orbit interaction (SOI) can cause errors during motion. However, in this work, we demonstrate that SOI can be harnessed to implement an arbitrary high-fidelity two-qubit (2Q) gate. We consider two spin qubits defined in a semiconductor double quantum dot that are smoothly moved toward each other by gate voltages. We show that an arbitrary high-fidelity 2Q gate can be realized by controlling the shuttling speed and waiting times, and leveraging strong intrinsic or extrinsic SOI. Crucially, performing 2Q operations during qubit transport enables a one-step realization of a wide range of 2Q gates, which often involve several steps when implemented using static dots. Our findings establish a practical route toward direct implementation of any 2Q gate via spin shuttling, significantly reducing control overhead in scalable quantum computing architectures.
Germanium hole spin qubits are a promising and versatile platform for quantum computation and simulation. In this system, strong spin-orbit interaction (SOI) renders the single-qubit g-tensor anisotropic and electrically tunable, enabling operational sweet spots with reduced noise sensitivity. SOI also transforms the isotropic two-qubit exchange coupling into an anisotropic tensor whose geometry is inherited from the single-qubit g-tensors and spin-flip tunnelling. Here, using two hole spin qubits in a strained-germanium quantum well and full vector control of the magnetic field, we map this exchange tensor, separate it into longitudinal and transverse components, and show that they govern controlled-phase and SWAP-like dynamics, respectively. We find that the longitudinal exchange can be tuned via the magnetic field orientation from a conventional positive value, through zero, to an effectively negative one, as measured by inverted exchange-split spin transitions. The magnetic field direction thus provides continuous control over the interaction Hamiltonian: at a point of purely transverse exchange, we engineer a single-pulse baseband iSWAP, unattainable under isotropic exchange. Linking g-tensor geometry to exchange anisotropy establishes native Hamiltonian engineering, enabling spin-based quantum simulation and gate sets selected by the global field orientation alone.
Superconducting spin qubits, also known as Andreev spin qubits, promise to combine the benefits of superconducting qubits and spin qubits defined in quantum dots. While most approaches to control these qubits rely on controlling the spin degree of freedom via the supercurrent, superconducting spin qubits can also be coupled to each other via the superconductor to implement two-qubit quantum gates. We theoretically investigate the interaction between superconducting spin qubits in the weak tunneling regime and concentrate on the effect of spin-orbit interaction (SOI), which can be large in semiconductor-based quantum dots and thereby offers an additional tuning parameter for quantum gates. We find analytically that the effective interaction between two superconducting spin qubits consists of Ising, Heisenberg, and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions and can be tuned by the superconducting phase difference, the tunnel barrier strength, or the SOI parameters. The Josephson current becomes dependent on SOI and spin orientations. We demonstrate that this interaction can be used for fast controlled phase-flip gates with a fidelity >99.99%. We propose a scalable network of superconducting spin qubits which is suitable for implementing the surface code.
Hole spin qubits hosted in Germanium quantum dots are promising candidates for scalable quantum computing. The strong spin-orbit interaction can enable fast and all-electrical quantum control. Furthermore, the platform can implement universal quantum control using only baseband signals, which may mitigate the impact of crosstalk and microwave-induced heating. At the same time, spin-orbit interaction gives rise to an anisotropic exchange interaction, whose potential for implementing two-qubit gates has remained largely unexplored. However, the current performance of operating a hole-based quantum computer is mostly limited by dephasing due to low-frequency charge noise. In this work, we propose a novel two-qubit gate protocol for Germanium hole spin qubits operated in the gapless regime. This gate protocol exploits the anisotropic exchange interaction between neighboring spins and utilizes a composite pulse scheme implemented solely through electrical baseband signals. Using this approach, we predict high-fidelity two-qubit controlled-Z operations that can suppress exchange-energy fluctuations, offering a pathway toward fault-tolerant semiconductor quantum processors.
Hole spin qubits hosted in Germanium quantum dots are promising candidates for scalable quantum computing. The strong spin-orbit interaction can enable fast and all-electrical quantum control. Furthermore, the platform can implement universal quantum control using only baseband signals, which may mitigate the impact of crosstalk and microwave-induced heating. At the same time, spin-orbit interaction gives rise to an anisotropic exchange interaction, whose potential for implementing two-qubit gates has remained largely unexplored. However, the current performance of operating a hole-based quantum computer is mostly limited by dephasing due to low-frequency charge noise. In this work, we propose a novel two-qubit gate protocol for Germanium hole spin qubits operated in the gapless regime. This gate protocol exploits the anisotropic exchange interaction between neighboring spins and utilizes a composite pulse scheme implemented solely through electrical baseband signals. Using this approach, we predict high-fidelity two-qubit controlled-Z operations that can suppress exchange-energy fluctuations, offering a pathway toward fault-tolerant semiconductor quantum processors.
Quantum information transfer is fundamental for scalable quantum computing in any potential platform and architecture. Hole spin qubits, owing to their intrinsic spin-orbit interaction (SOI), promise fast quantum operations which are fundamental for the implementation of quantum gates. Yet, the influence of SOI in quantum transfer protocols remains an open question. Here, we investigate flying spin qubits mediated by SOI, using shortcuts to adiabaticity protocols, i.e., the long-range transfer of spin qubits and the quantum distribution of entangled pairs in semiconductor quantum dot arrays. We show that electric field manipulation allows dynamical control of the SOI, enabling simultaneously the implementation of quantum gates during the transfer, with the potential to significantly accelerate quantum algorithms. By harnessing the ability to perform quantum gates in parallel with the transfer, we implement dynamical decoupling schemes to focus and preserve the spin state, leading to higher transfer fidelity.