Engineering long spin coherence times of spin-orbit qubits in silicon.

Electron-spin qubits have long coherence times suitable for quantum technologies. Spin-orbit coupling promises to greatly improve spin qubit scalability and functionality, allowing qubit coupling via photons, phonons or mutual capacitances, and enabling the realization of engineered hybrid and topological quantum systems. However, despite much recent interest, results to date have yielded short coherence times (from 0.1 to 1 µs). Here we demonstrate ultra-long coherence times of 10 ms for holes where spin-orbit coupling yields quantized total angular momentum. We focus on holes bound to boron acceptors in bulk silicon 28, whose wavefunction symmetry can be controlled through crystal strain, allowing direct control over the longitudinal electric dipole that causes decoherence. The results rival the best electron-spin qubits and are 104 to 105 longer than previous spin-orbit qubits. These results open a pathway to develop new artificial quantum systems and to improve the functionality and scalability of spin-based quantum technologies.

Characterization of a Scalable Donor-Based Singlet-Triplet Qubit Architecture in Silicon.

We present a donor-based quadruple-quantum-dot device, designed to host two singlet-triplet qubits fabricated by scanning tunnelling microscope lithography, with just two leads per qubit. The design is geometrically compact, with each pair of dots independently controlled via one gate and one reservoir. The reservoirs both supply electrons for the dots and measure the singlet-triplet state of each qubit via dispersive sensing. We verify the locations of the four phosphorus donor dots via an electrostatic model of the device. We study one of the observed singlet-triplet states with a tunnel coupling of 39 GHz and a S0-to- T- decay of 2 ms at zero detuning. We measure a 5 GHz electrostatic interaction between two pairs of dots separated by 65 nm. The results outline a low-gate-density pathway to a scalable 1D building block of atomic-precision singlet-triplet qubits using donors with dispersive readout.

Human Connectome Project informatics: quality control, database services, and data visualization.

The Human Connectome Project (HCP) has developed protocols, standard operating and quality control procedures, and a suite of informatics tools to enable high throughput data collection, data sharing, automated data processing and analysis, and data mining and visualization. Quality control procedures include methods to maintain data collection consistency over time, to measure head motion, and to establish quantitative modality-specific overall quality assessments. Database services developed as customizations of the XNAT imaging informatics platform support both internal daily operations and open access data sharing. The Connectome Workbench visualization environment enables user interaction with HCP data and is increasingly integrated with the HCP's database services. Here we describe the current state of these procedures and tools and their application in the ongoing HCP study.

Coherent control of a donor-molecule electron spin qubit in silicon.

Donor spins in silicon provide a promising material platform for large scale quantum computing. Excellent electron spin coherence times of [Formula: see text] µs with fidelities of 99.9% have been demonstrated for isolated phosphorus donors in isotopically pure 28Si, where donors are local-area-implanted in a nanoscale MOS device. Despite robust single qubit gates, realising two-qubit exchange gates using this technique is challenging due to the statistical nature of the dopant implant and placement process. In parallel a precision scanning probe lithography route has been developed to place single donors and donor molecules on one atomic plane of silicon with high accuracy aligned to heavily phosphorus doped silicon in-plane gates. Recent results using this technique have demonstrated a fast (0.8 ns) two-qubit gate with two P donor molecules placed 13 nm apart in natSi. In this paper we demonstrate a single qubit gate with coherent oscillations of the electron spin on a P donor molecule in natSi patterned by scanning tunneling microscope (STM) lithography. The electron spin exhibits excellent coherence properties, with a [Formula: see text] decoherence time of 298 ± 30 µs, and [Formula: see text] dephasing time of 295 ± 23 ns.

Spin read-out in atomic qubits in an all-epitaxial three-dimensional transistor.

The realization of the surface code for topological error correction is an essential step towards a universal quantum computer1-3. For single-atom qubits in silicon4-7, the need to control and read out qubits synchronously and in parallel requires the formation of a two-dimensional array of qubits with control electrodes patterned above and below this qubit layer. This vertical three-dimensional device architecture8 requires the ability to pattern dopants in multiple, vertically separated planes of the silicon crystal with nanometre precision interlayer alignment. Additionally, the dopants must not diffuse or segregate during the silicon encapsulation. Critical components of this architecture-such as nanowires9, single-atom transistors4 and single-electron transistors10-have been realized on one atomic plane by patterning phosphorus dopants in silicon using scanning tunnelling microscope hydrogen resist lithography11,12. Here, we extend this to three dimensions and demonstrate single-shot spin read-out with 97.9% measurement fidelity of a phosphorus dopant qubit within a vertically gated single-electron transistor with <5 nm interlayer alignment accuracy. Our strategy ensures the formation of a fully crystalline transistor using just two atomic species: phosphorus and silicon.

Reducing the futile transportation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests: a retrospective validation.

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim was to measure the predictive value of a termination of resuscitation guideline that allows for pre-hospital termination of adult cardiac arrests of presumed cardiac aetiology where the patient did not present in a shockable cardiac rhythm and did not achieve return of spontaneous circulation on-scene. The secondary objective was to compare the effectiveness of that guideline with existing basic life support and advanced life support guidelines. METHODS: A retrospective review of 2139 adult out-of-hospital primary cardiac arrest patients transported to hospital by a single ambulance trust during a 12-month period between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015. RESULTS: Application of the new guideline identified 832 for termination, from which three (0.4%) survived, resulting in a specificity of 99.1% (95% CI: 97.4% to 99.8%), PPV of 99.6% (95% CI: 99% to 99.9%), sensitivity of 46.5% (95% CI: 44.1% to 48.8%) and NPV of 25.6% (95% CI: 23.2% to 28.1%). The transport rate was 60.7%, compared to 72.8% for the basic life support guideline and 95.2% for the advanced life support guideline. CONCLUSIONS: Within the tested cohort, a reduction of 39.3% in transport of adult out-of-hospital primary cardiac arrest of presumed cardiac aetiology could have been achieved if using a termination of resuscitation guideline that allows for termination on-scene when the patient presented in a non-shockable rhythm and there has been no return of spontaneous circulation. These guidelines require prospective validation, but may identify more futile transportations than other previously validated guidelines.

Addressable electron spin resonance using donors and donor molecules in silicon.

Phosphorus donor impurities in silicon are a promising candidate for solid-state quantum computing due to their exceptionally long coherence times and high fidelities. However, individual addressability of exchange coupled donors with separations ~15 nm is challenging. We show that by using atomic precision lithography, we can place a single P donor next to a 2P molecule 16 ± 1 nm apart and use their distinctive hyperfine coupling strengths to address qubits at vastly different resonance frequencies. In particular, the single donor yields two hyperfine peaks separated by 97 ± 2.5 MHz, in contrast to the donor molecule that exhibits three peaks separated by 262 ± 10 MHz. Atomistic tight-binding simulations confirm the large hyperfine interaction strength in the 2P molecule with an interdonor separation of ~0.7 nm, consistent with lithographic scanning tunneling microscopy images of the 2P site during device fabrication. We discuss the viability of using donor molecules for built-in addressability of electron spin qubits in silicon.

Readout and control of the spin-orbit states of two coupled acceptor atoms in a silicon transistor.

Coupling spin qubits to electric fields is attractive to simplify qubit manipulation and couple qubits over long distances. Electron spins in silicon offer long lifetimes, but their weak spin-orbit interaction makes electrical coupling challenging. Hole spins bound to acceptor dopants, spin-orbit-coupled J = 3/2 systems similar to Si vacancies in SiC and single Co dopants, are an electrically active spin system in silicon. However, J = 3/2 systems are much less studied than S = 1/2 electrons, and spin readout has not yet been demonstrated for acceptors in silicon. Here, we study acceptor hole spin dynamics by dispersive readout of single-hole tunneling between two coupled acceptors in a nanowire transistor. We identify m J = ±1/2 and m J = ±3/2 levels, and we use a magnetic field to overcome the initial heavy-light hole splitting and to tune the J = 3/2 energy spectrum. We find regimes of spin-like (+3/2 to -3/2) and charge-like (±1/2 to ±3/2) relaxations, separated by a regime of enhanced relaxation induced by mixing of light and heavy holes. The demonstrated control over the energy level ordering and hybridization are new tools in the J = 3/2 system that are crucial to optimize single-atom spin lifetime and electrical coupling.

Probing the Quantum States of a Single Atom Transistor at Microwave Frequencies.

The ability to apply gigahertz frequencies to control the quantum state of a single P atom is an essential requirement for the fast gate pulsing needed for qubit control in donor-based silicon quantum computation. Here, we demonstrate this with nanosecond accuracy in an all epitaxial single atom transistor by applying excitation signals at frequencies up to ≈13 GHz to heavily phosphorus-doped silicon leads. These measurements allow the differentiation between the excited states of the single atom and the density of states in the one-dimensional leads. Our pulse spectroscopy experiments confirm the presence of an excited state at an energy ≈9 meV, consistent with the first excited state of a single P donor in silicon. The relaxation rate of this first excited state to the ground state is estimated to be larger than 2.5 GHz, consistent with theoretical predictions. These results represent a systematic investigation of how an atomically precise single atom transistor device behaves under radio frequency excitations.

Injuries caused by parachute risers during foreign military parachuting.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to study the injuries from the deployment of military parachutes when parachuting with foreign armies. METHODS: The number and nature of injuries sustained while military parachuting with domestic and foreign parachute systems and techniques was compared. RESULTS: Of a total of 370 parachutists, 41 (11.1%) suffered minor injuries following two descents on the British parachute, 20 (5.4%) of these were classified as riser injuries. Thirty-eight (25.9%) of 147 British parachutists sustained riser injuries following two descents with the French parachute. Thirty-four (89.5%) of these injuries were minor posterior-auricular bruises and abrasions not requiring treatment. Four (10.5%) were extensive posterior-auricular abrasions that required treatment. Two soldiers (5.3%) suffered lacerations of the attachment of the pinna to the head. There were no riser injuries and no other injuries when the soldiers parachuted with their own countries parachutes in the proceeding two descents. CONCLUSION: Failure to adhere to drills led to injuries with foreign parachute systems.

A surface code quantum computer in silicon.

The exceptionally long quantum coherence times of phosphorus donor nuclear spin qubits in silicon, coupled with the proven scalability of silicon-based nano-electronics, make them attractive candidates for large-scale quantum computing. However, the high threshold of topological quantum error correction can only be captured in a two-dimensional array of qubits operating synchronously and in parallel-posing formidable fabrication and control challenges. We present an architecture that addresses these problems through a novel shared-control paradigm that is particularly suited to the natural uniformity of the phosphorus donor nuclear spin qubit states and electronic confinement. The architecture comprises a two-dimensional lattice of donor qubits sandwiched between two vertically separated control layers forming a mutually perpendicular crisscross gate array. Shared-control lines facilitate loading/unloading of single electrons to specific donors, thereby activating multiple qubits in parallel across the array on which the required operations for surface code quantum error correction are carried out by global spin control. The complexities of independent qubit control, wave function engineering, and ad hoc quantum interconnects are explicitly avoided. With many of the basic elements of fabrication and control based on demonstrated techniques and with simulated quantum operation below the surface code error threshold, the architecture represents a new pathway for large-scale quantum information processing in silicon and potentially in other qubit systems where uniformity can be exploited.

Non-lattice surface oxygen species implicated in the catalytic partial oxidation of decane to oxygenated aromatics.

The one-step transformation of C(7)-C(12) linear alkanes into more valuable oxygenates provides heterogeneous catalysis with a major challenge. In evaluating the potential of a classic mixed-metal-oxide catalyst, we demonstrate new insights into the reactivity of adsorbed oxygen species. During the aerobic gas-phase conversion of n-decane over iron molybdate, the product distribution correlates with the condition of the catalyst. Selectivity to oxygenated aromatics peaks at 350 °C while the catalyst is in a fully oxidized state, whereas decene and aromatic hydrocarbons dominate at higher temperatures. The high-temperature performance is consistent with an underlying redox mechanism in which lattice oxide ions abstract hydrogen from decane. At lower temperatures, the formation of oxygenated aromatics competes with the formation of CO(2), implying that electrophilic adsorbed oxygen is involved in both reactions. We suggest, therefore, that so-called non-selective oxygen is capable of insertion into carbon-rich surface intermediates to generate aromatic partial oxidation products.

NAV: a tool for producing presentation quality animations of graphical cognitive model dynamics.

Computational models of cognition often exhibit complex dynamics that are difficult to discern without the use of visualization tools. Current tools often provide insight only to the modeling expert, however, and they provide limited functionality for communicating model dynamics to the nonexpert, as is needed during scientific presentations and in educational settings. We present NAV, the Node Activity Visualizer, an easy-to-use and portable software tool that interactively transforms the output of cognitive modeling simulators into presentation quality animations of model performance.