Abstract The rapid development of quantum dot (QD) devices for quantum computing has necessitated more efficient and automated methods for device characterization and tuning. Many of the measurements acquired during the tuning process come in the form of images that need to be properly analyzed to guide the subsequent tuning steps. By design, features present in such images capture certain behaviors or states of the measured QD devices. When considered carefully, such features can aid the control and calibration of QD devices. An important example of such images are so-called triangle plots , which visually represent current flow and reveal characteristics important for QD device calibration. While image-based classification tools, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), can be used to verify whether a given measurement is good and thus warrants the initiation of the next phase of tuning, they do not provide any insights into how the device should be adjusted in the case of bad images. This is because CNNs sacrifice prediction and model intelligibility for high accuracy. To ameliorate this trade-off, a recent study introduced an image vectorization approach that relies on the Gabor wavelet transform (Schug et al 2024 Proc. XAI4Sci: Explainable Machine Learning for Sciences Workshop (AAAI 2024) (Vancouver, Canada) pp 1–6). Here we propose an alternative vectorization method that involves mathematical modeling of synthetic triangles to mimic the experimental data. Using explainable boosting machines, we show that this new method offers superior explainability of model prediction without sacrificing accuracy. This work demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of applying explainable machine learning techniques to the analysis of QD measurements, paving the way for further advances in automated and transparent QD device tuning.
Abstract The rapid development of quantum dot (QD) devices for quantum computing has necessitated more efficient and automated methods for device characterization and tuning. Many of the measurements acquired during the tuning process come in the form of images that need to be properly analyzed to guide the subsequent tuning steps. By design, features present in such images capture certain behaviors or states of the measured QD devices. When considered carefully, such features can aid the control and calibration of QD devices. An important example of such images are so-called triangle plots , which visually represent current flow and reveal characteristics important for QD device calibration. While image-based classification tools, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), can be used to verify whether a given measurement is good and thus warrants the initiation of the next phase of tuning, they do not provide any insights into how the device should be adjusted in the case of bad images. This is because CNNs sacrifice prediction and model intelligibility for high accuracy. To ameliorate this trade-off, a recent study introduced an image vectorization approach that relies on the Gabor wavelet transform (Schug et al 2024 Proc. XAI4Sci: Explainable Machine Learning for Sciences Workshop (AAAI 2024) (Vancouver, Canada) pp 1–6). Here we propose an alternative vectorization method that involves mathematical modeling of synthetic triangles to mimic the experimental data. Using explainable boosting machines, we show that this new method offers superior explainability of model prediction without sacrificing accuracy. This work demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of applying explainable machine learning techniques to the analysis of QD measurements, paving the way for further advances in automated and transparent QD device tuning.
Abstract Recent progress in building large-scale quantum devices for exploring quantum computing and simulation has relied upon effective tools for achieving and maintaining good experimental parameters, i.e., tuning up devices. In many cases, including quantum dot-based architectures, the parameter space grows substantially with the number of qubits, and may become a limit to scalability. Fortunately, machine learning techniques for pattern recognition and image classification, using so-called deep neural networks, have shown surprising successes for computer-aided understanding of complex systems. We propose a new paradigm for fully automated experimental initialization through a closed-loop system relying on machine learning and optimization techniques. We use deep convolutional neural networks to characterize states and charge configurations of semiconductor quantum dot arrays when only measurements of a current−voltage characteristic of transport are available. For simplicity, we model a semiconductor nanowire connected to leads and capacitively coupled to depletion gates using the Thomas−Fermi approximation and Coulomb blockade physics. We then generate labeled training data for the neural networks, and find at least 90 % accuracy for charge and state identification for single and double dots. Using these characterization networks, we can then optimize the parameter space to achieve a desired configuration of the array, a technique we call “auto-tuning”. Finally, we show how such techniques can be implemented in an experimental setting by applying our approach to an experimental dataset, and outline further problems in this domain, from using charge sensing data to extensions to full one- and two-dimensional arrays, that can be tackled with machine learning.
Quantum dots (QDs) defined with electrostatic gates are a leading platform for a scalable quantum computing implementation. However, with increasing numbers of qubits, the complexity of the control parameter space also grows. Traditional measurement techniques, relying on complete or near-complete exploration via two-parameter scans (images) of the device response, quickly become impractical with increasing numbers of gates. Here we propose to circumvent this challenge by introducing a measurement technique relying on one-dimensional projections of the device response in the multidimensional parameter space. Dubbed the "ray-based classification (RBC) framework," we use this machine learning approach to implement a classifier for QD states, enabling automated recognition of qubit-relevant parameter regimes. We show that RBC surpasses the 82% accuracy benchmark from the experimental implementation of image-based classification techniques from prior work, while reducing the number of measurement points needed by up to 70%. The reduction in measurement cost is a significant gain for time-intensive QD measurements and is a step forward toward the scalability of these devices. We also discuss how the RBC-based optimizer, which tunes the device to a multiqubit regime, performs when tuning in the two-dimensional and three-dimensional parameter spaces defined by plunger and barrier gates that control the QDs. This work provides experimental validation of both efficient state identification and optimization with machine learning techniques for non-traditional measurements in quantum systems with high-dimensional parameter spaces and time-intensive measurements.
Scaling semiconductor quantum dot arrays toward fault-tolerant quantum computing requires efficient tuneup of spin qubits, a process that depends on the analysis of charge stability maps (CSMs) and remains largely manual. While machine learning has been widely applied to CSM analysis in reservoir-coupled devices, automated tuning in the increasingly important isolated-mode regime has received limited attention. In isolated-mode CSMs, charge transitions appear as near-vertical lines, making them well suited to compact, task-specific models. We present two convolutional neural networks with fewer than one million parameters, trained on CSMs collected from 32 silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor (SiMOS) double-quantum-dot devices measured at approximately 1 K using an automated cryogenic probing system. Sixteen devices were used for training and sixteen were held out to evaluate cross-device generalization against hand-labeled ground truth. CSMClassifier identifies charge instability and sensor artifacts, achieving 94% macro-averaged accuracy across three quality classes on 2,407 held-out images. ChargeLineNet localizes charge-transition lines and determines electron occupancy, achieving 95.3% exact line-count accuracy on 1,131 held-out images. Combined into a single pipeline, the models correctly determine electron occupancy for 93.8% of clean held-out images. Pre-training on synthetic images substantially improves label efficiency. Fine-tuning the pre-trained model on limited experimental data maintains over 90% accuracy, whereas training from scratch degrades significantly under the same conditions. Together, the two models occupy only 6.5 MB and process images in less than 60 ms on standard laboratory hardware, demonstrating a practical path toward scalable, automated characterization and tuneup of quantum-dot devices.
Arrays of quantum dots (QDs) are a promising candidate system to realize scalable, coupled qubit systems and serve as a fundamental building block for quantum computers. In such semiconductor quantum systems, devices now have tens of individual electrostatic and dynamical voltages that must be carefully set to localize the system into the single-electron regime and to realize good qubit operational performance. The mapping of requisite QD locations and charges to gate voltages presents a challenging classical control problem. With an increasing number of QD qubits, the relevant parameter space grows sufficiently to make heuristic control unfeasible. In recent years, there has been considerable effort to automate device control that combines script-based algorithms with machine learning (ML) techniques. In this Colloquium, a comprehensive overview of the recent progress in the automation of QD device control is presented, with a particular emphasis on silicon- and GaAs-based QDs formed in two-dimensional electron gases. Combining physics-based modeling with modern numerical optimization and ML has proven effective in yielding efficient, scalable control. Further integration of theoretical, computational, and experimental efforts with computer science and ML holds vast potential in advancing semiconductor and other platforms for quantum computing.
As with any quantum computing platform, semiconductor quantum dot devices require sophisticated hardware and controls for operation. The increasing complexity of quantum dot devices necessitates the advancement of automated control software and image recognition techniques for rapidly evaluating charge stability diagrams. We use an image analysis toolbox developed in Python to automate the calibration of virtual gates, a process that previously involved a large amount of user intervention. Moreover, we show that straightforward feedback protocols can be used to simultaneously tune multiple tunnel couplings in a triple quantum dot in a computer automated fashion. Finally, we adopt the use of a “tunnel coupling lever arm” to model the interdot barrier gate response and discuss how it can be used to more rapidly tune interdot tunnel couplings to the gigahertz values that are compatible with exchange gates.
Building a quantum computer able to solve real-world problems is facing several challenges, both in software and hardware.Some of these challenges are the physical implementation of a large number of qubits, as well as qubit quality and control.This thesis addresses one of the outstanding challenges -the automated initialisation of solid-state qubits.These qubit types, which encode information in charge, spin or topologically protected quasiparticle states, are based on electrostatically defined quantum dots.In order to define quantum dots, suitable gate voltage combinations need to be determined and several parameters such as the inter-dot tunnel coupling adjusted to desired values.With growing device complexity and an increasing number of devices required for measurements, a manual approach to tuning is impractical.Considering the success of machine learning in many disciplines over recent years, it is a promising tool whose suitability for qubit tuning is explored here.We first implement a two-stage device characterisation and dot-tuning process by automating well-established, manual tuning procedures, where the experimenter's decisions is replaced by supervised machine learning.A demonstration on several previously unmeasured devices shows that such an approach is sufficient to tune devices autonomously and without pre-measured input.Next, we address charge-state detection based on charge stability diagrams, an essential component of automated tuning.Beside our use of simple binary classifiers trained on experimental data, deep learning models trained on synthetic data have been previously used to perform this task.While the use of synthetic data has the advantage of providing the large training datasets required for deep learning without the need to hand label experimental data, it also trains classifiers on data coming from different distributions than the data encountered during tuning.We evaluate the classification accuracy of a range of machine learning models trained on simulated and experimental data, assessing their ability to generalise to experimental charge stability diagrams.We find that experimental training data as well as realistic quantum dot simulations and noise models iii Suominen, these two dragged me out of the lab on a regular basis and made sure all doubts and misery were drowned in bubbles.Their input on how to navigate the first period of new beginnings and changes was priceless.Beside the usual PhD challenges and as a result of living in two places at one, my adventure also included some overhead paperwork.Overwhelmed by it at times, it was more than reassuring to have a friend like Mario Könz.He has always been keen on sharing some of his abundant knowledge, be it in programming or in how to deal with Swiss authorities.My endeavour would have failed without his readiness to help me out on the Swiss paperwork front.Similarly, Anïs Mairena, whose presence already got me through my Master's in Lausanne, also saved me from a lot of admit headache.I am also immensely grateful for crossing the paths of John Hornibrook and Xanthe Croot.As the kindest and most generous people I have ever met, these two made me feel at home far away at home.I will always remember those 30km bush walks with Xanthe, during which I not only got to know some of the QNL lab rats better, but was also able to recharge on positivity, happiness and sunshine.Back in the lab, it was John who patiently listened to my complains and answered all my dumb questions.From my very first steps in python and QCoDeS to the implementation of my tuning package, I had the privilege to be able to count on William H. P Nielsen and Jens H. Nielsen for support.They not only helped me get through writing drivers for instruments I didn't how to use, but their patience, comprehensive feedback and technical expertise made me the programmer I am today.Despite the rather atypical working arrangement, I was blessed to have someone who could comprehend my situation: Natalie Pearson.I was fortunate not to be the only one packing my bags for Copenhagen early in their PhD.We embarked on the Danish journey together and were able to support each other in a new country.In German one would say "geteiltes Leid ist halbes Leid".Furthermore, I would like to mention those who always had a time for a spontaneous chat, ultimately getting me through those days that didn't seem to end: