Electron spins in semiconductor quantum dots are a promising platform for quantum-information processing applications because their quantum phase coherence can persist for extremely long times. Nearest-neighbor electron spins naturally interact with each other via Heisenberg exchange coupling. Heisenberg exchange coupling results from the interplay of the electrostatic confinement potential together with the Pauli exclusion principle, which requires that no two electrons can have the same quantum number. Exchange coupling enables a host of useful capabilities, including the generation of different types of qubits, multi-qubit gates, ways to increase connectivity in systems of quantum-dot spin qubits, and routes to explore intriguing many-body phenomena.
Electron spins in semiconductor quantum dots are a promising platform for quantum-information processing applications because their quantum phase coherence can persist for extremely long times. Nearest-neighbor electron spins naturally interact with each other via Heisenberg exchange coupling. Heisenberg exchange coupling results from the interplay of the electrostatic confinement potential together with the Pauli exclusion principle, which requires that no two electrons can have the same quantum number. Exchange coupling enables a host of useful capabilities, including the generation of different types of qubits, multi-qubit gates, ways to increase connectivity in systems of quantum-dot spin qubits, and routes to explore intriguing many-body phenomena.
Because of their long coherence times and potential for scalability, semiconductor quantum-dot spin qubits hold great promise for quantum information processing. However, maintaining high connectivity between quantum-dot spin qubits, which favor linear arrays with nearest neighbor coupling, presents a challenge for large-scale quantum computing. In this work, we present evidence for long-distance spin-chain-mediated superexchange coupling between electron spin qubits in semiconductor quantum dots. We weakly couple two electron spins to the ends of a two-site spin chain. Depending on the spin state of the chain, we observe oscillations between the distant end spins. We resolve the dynamics of both the end spins and the chain itself, and our measurements agree with simulations. Superexchange is a promising technique to create long-distance coupling between quantum-dot spin qubits.
Semiconductor quantum dot systems offer a promising platform for quantum computation. And these quantum computation candidates are normally based on spin or charge properties of electrons. In these systems, we focus on quantum computation based on electron spins since these systems has good scalability, long coherence times, and rapid gate operations. And this thesis focuses on building a theoretical description of quantum dot systems and the link between theory and experiments. In many quantum dot systems, exchange interactions are the primary mechanism used to control spins and generate entanglement. And exchange energies are normally positive, which limits control flexibility. However, recent experiments show that negative exchange interactions can arise in a linear three-dot system when a two-electron double quantum dot is exchange coupled to a larger quantum dot containing on the order of one hundred electrons. The origin of this negative exchange can be traced to the larger quantum dot exhibiting a spin triplet-like rather than singlet-like ground state. Here we show using a microscopic model based on the configuration interaction (CI) method that both triplet-like and singlet-like ground states are realized depending on the number of electrons. In the case of only four electrons, a full CI calculation reveals that triplet-like ground states occur for sufficiently large dots. These results hold for symmetric and asymmetric quantum dots in both Si and GaAs, showing that negative exchange interactions are robust in few-electron double quantum dots and do not require large numbers of electrons. Recent experiments also show the potential to utilize large quantum dots to mediate superexchange interaction and generate entanglement between distant spins. This opens up a possible mechanism for selectively coupling pairs of remote spins in a larger network of quantum dots. Taking advantage of this opportunity requires a deeper understanding of how to control superexchange interactions in these systems. Here, we consider a triple-dot system arranged in linear and triangular geometries. We use CI calculations to investigate the interplay of superexchange and nearest-neighbor exchange interactions as the location, detuning, and electron number of the mediating dot are varied. We show that superexchange processes strongly enhance and increase the range of the net spin-spin exchange as the dots approach a linear configuration. Furthermore, we show that the strength of the exchange interaction depends sensitively on the number of electrons in the mediator. Our results can be used as a guide to assist further experimental efforts towards scaling up to larger, two-dimensional quantum dot arrays.
Due to their long coherence times and potential for scalability, semiconductor quantum-dot spin qubits hold great promise for quantum information processing. However, maintaining high connectivity between quantum-dot spin qubits, which favor linear arrays with nearest neighbor coupling, presents a challenge for large-scale quantum computing. In this work, we present evidence for long-distance spin-chain-mediated superexchange coupling between electron spin qubits in semiconductor quantum dots. We weakly couple two electron spins to the ends of a two-site spin chain. Depending on the spin state of the chain, we observe oscillations between the distant end spins. We resolve the dynamics of both the end spins and the chain itself, and our measurements agree with simulations. Superexchange is a promising technique to create long-distance coupling between quantum-dot spin qubits.
Abstract Electron spins confined in semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are one of potential candidates for physical implementation of scalable quantum information processing technologies. Tunnel coupling based inter exchange interaction between QDs is crucial in achieving single-qubit manipulation, two-qubit gate, quantum communication and quantum simulation. This review first provides a theoretical perspective that surveys a general framework, including the Helter−London approach, the Hund−Mulliken approach, and the Hubbard model, to describe the inter exchange interactions between semiconductor quantum dots. An electrical method to control the inter exchange interaction in a realistic device is proposed as well. Then the significant achievements of inter exchange interaction in manipulating single qubits, achieving two-qubit gates, performing quantum communication and quantum simulation are reviewed. The last part is a summary of this review.
The Heisenberg exchange interaction between neighboring quantum dots allows precise voltage control over spin dynamics, due to the ability to precisely control the overlap of orbital wavefunctions by gate electrodes. This allows the study of fundamental electronic phenomena and finds applications in quantum information processing. Although spin-based quantum circuits based on short-range exchange interactions are possible, the development of scalable, longer-range coupling schemes constitutes a critical challenge within the spin-qubit community. Approaches based on capacitative coupling and cavity-mediated interactions effectively couple spin qubits to the charge degree of freedom, making them susceptible to electrically-induced decoherence. The alternative is to extend the range of the Heisenberg exchange interaction by means of a quantum mediator. Here, we show that a multielectron quantum dot with 50-100 electrons serves as an excellent mediator, preserving speed and coherence of the resulting spin-spin coupling while providing several functionalities that are of practical importance. These include speed (mediated two-qubit rates up to several gigahertz), distance (of order of a micrometer), voltage control, possibility of sweet spot operation (reducing susceptibility to charge noise), and reversal of the interaction sign (useful for dynamical decoupling from noise).
Solid state based quantum information processing is focused on physical implementation of all necessary elements of quantum computation and quantum information in solid state systems, mainly due to their scalability compared to e.g. optical systems. Among many proposals to realize these types of devices, such as quantum dots as charge qubits or Josephson junction circuits, we study here one of the most promising candidates, i.e., the spin of an electron confined to a quantum dot as a qubit. Experimentally, it has been shown that the relaxation rate of this two level system can be pushed above few seconds in low magnetic fields. Moreover, using spin echo techniques, \nthe spin dephasing time can be maximized up to milliseconds with the current technology. This long spin decay time is one of the main reasons that make this system desirable for quantum computation and quantum information purposes. \nWe reexamined the recent measurement based proposal called one-way quantum computation which exploits entanglement and local measurements as tools to perform quantum computation on N qubits. Although it was suggested in the original work to entangle the qubits via the nearest neighbor Ising interaction, we investigated how one can generate the so-called cluster states with the Heisenberg interaction. We extended our method to include more general forms of Heisenberg interaction such as asymmetric coupling of adjacent qubits. These forms of couplings, rather than Ising interaction, are more encountered in solid state devices, and therefore make it possible to perform one-way quantum computation with electron spins in quantum dots coupled via exchange interaction to their adjacent spins. \n \nChapters II, III, and IV of my thesis are devoted to the study of the spin-orbit interaction in heterostructure quantum dots and its effect on the spin dynamics. We observed that one can actually use spin-orbit interaction to manipulate the spin state of an electron on time scales much smaller than the spin dephasing time. Specifically, in chapter II, we studied the effect of a nearby functioning quantum point contact (QPC) on the relaxation of the electron spin and show that the charge fluctuations in QPC lead to spin relaxation of the confined electron in the presence of spin-orbit interactiom and an applied magnetic field. We also addressed the relation of this rate to the microscopic parameters of the system and found some geometrical dependence of the spin relaxation time on the orientation of the QPC on the substrate. Moreover, we showed in chapters III and IV that the spin-orbit interaction can play a positive role, in order to rotate the spin around the Bloch sphere. We considered different mechanisms, particularly, Electron Dipole Spin Resonance (EDSR) and holonomic unitary gates in quantum dots. We verified that these mechanisms of spin manipulation can be realized in solid state systems with the state of the art semiconductor technologies. \n \nChapter V of the thesis covers a slightly different topic and focuses on the role of the Coulomb interaction in electronic transport. There, we reviewed the non-analytic corrections to the Fermi liquid behavior and their consequences on the momentum occupation number of the electrons in a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG). As an example, we calculated the tunneling rate from an interacting electron reservoir onto a quantum dot and compared our result to the corresponding case for electron tunneling between bilayer 2DEGs. Moreover, within RPA approximation, we found that the electron-plasmon coupling leads to a quadratic frequency dependence of the electron self-energy at low frequencies at the Fermi surface. This correction suppresses the same order corrections due to the particle-hole bubble. \n \n \n