Latched detection of zeptojoule spin echoes with a kinetic inductance parametric oscillator.

When strongly pumped at twice their resonant frequency, nonlinear resonators develop a high-amplitude intracavity field, a phenomenon known as parametric self-oscillations. The boundary over which this instability occurs can be extremely sharp and thereby presents an opportunity for realizing a detector. Here, we operate such a device based on a superconducting microwave resonator whose nonlinearity is engineered from kinetic inductance. The device indicates the absorption of low-power microwave wavepackets by transitioning to a self-oscillating state. Using calibrated pulses, we measure the detection efficiency to zeptojoule energy wavepackets. We then apply it to measurements of electron spin resonance, using an ensemble of 209Bi donors in silicon that are inductively coupled to the resonator. We achieve a latched readout of the spin signal with an amplitude that is five hundred times greater than the underlying spin echoes.

Photoionisation detection of a single Er3+ ion with sub-100-ns time resolution.

Efficient detection of single optical centres in solids is essential for quantum information processing, sensing and single-photon generation applications. In this work, we use radio-frequency (RF) reflectometry to electrically detect the photoionisation induced by a single Er3+ ion in Si. The high bandwidth and sensitivity of the RF reflectometry provide sub-100-ns time resolution for the photoionisation detection. With this technique, the optically excited state lifetime of a single Er3+ ion in a Si nano-transistor is measured for the first time to be [Formula: see text]s. Our results demonstrate an efficient approach for detecting a charge state change induced by Er excitation and relaxation. This approach could be used for fast readout of other single optical centres in solids and is attractive for large-scale integrated optical quantum systems thanks to the multi-channel RF reflectometry demonstrated with frequency multiplexing techniques.

Navigating the 16-dimensional Hilbert space of a high-spin donor qudit with electric and magnetic fields.

Efficient scaling and flexible control are key aspects of useful quantum computing hardware. Spins in semiconductors combine quantum information processing with electrons, holes or nuclei, control with electric or magnetic fields, and scalable coupling via exchange or dipole interaction. However, accessing large Hilbert space dimensions has remained challenging, due to the short-distance nature of the interactions. Here, we present an atom-based semiconductor platform where a 16-dimensional Hilbert space is built by the combined electron-nuclear states of a single antimony donor in silicon. We demonstrate the ability to navigate this large Hilbert space using both electric and magnetic fields, with gate fidelity exceeding 99.8% on the nuclear spin, and unveil fine details of the system Hamiltonian and its susceptibility to control and noise fields. These results establish high-spin donors as a rich platform for practical quantum information and to explore quantum foundations.

Room Temperature Bias-Selectable, Dual-Band Infrared Detectors Based on Lead Sulfide Colloidal Quantum Dots and Black Phosphorus.

A single photodetector capable of switching its peak spectral photoresponse between two wavelength bands is highly useful, particularly for the infrared (IR) bands in applications such as remote sensing, object identification, and chemical sensing. Technologies exist for achieving dual-band IR detection with bulk III-V and II-VI materials, but the high cost and complexity as well as the necessity for active cooling associated with some of these technologies preclude their widespread adoption. In this study, we leverage the advantages of low-dimensional materials to demonstrate a bias-selectable dual-band IR detector that operates at room temperature by using lead sulfide colloidal quantum dots and black phosphorus nanosheets. By switching between zero and forward bias, these detectors switch peak photosensitive ranges between the mid- and short-wave IR bands with room temperature detectivities of 5 × 109 and 1.6 × 1011 cm Hz1/2 W-1, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, these are the highest reported room temperature values for low-dimensional material dual-band IR detectors to date. Unlike conventional bias-selectable detectors, which utilize a set of back-to-back photodiodes, we demonstrate that under zero/forward bias conditions the device's operation mode instead changes between a photodiode and a phototransistor, allowing additional functionalities that the conventional structure cannot provide.

In situ amplification of spin echoes within a kinetic inductance parametric amplifier.

The use of superconducting microresonators together with quantum-limited Josephson parametric amplifiers has enhanced the sensitivity of pulsed electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements by more than four orders of magnitude. So far, the microwave resonators and amplifiers have been designed as separate components due to the incompatibility of Josephson junction-based devices with magnetic fields. This has produced complex spectrometers and raised technical barriers toward adoption of the technique. Here, we circumvent this issue by coupling an ensemble of spins directly to a weakly nonlinear and magnetic field-resilient superconducting microwave resonator. We perform pulsed ESR measurements with a 1-pL mode volume containing 6 × 107 spins and amplify the resulting signals within the device. When considering only those spins that contribute to the detected signals, we find a sensitivity of [Formula: see text] for a Hahn echo sequence at a temperature of 400 mK. In situ amplification is demonstrated at fields up to 254 mT, highlighting the technique's potential for application under conventional ESR operating conditions.

A Telecom O-Band Emitter in Diamond.

Color centers in diamond are promising platforms for quantum technologies. Most color centers in diamond discovered thus far emit in the visible or near-infrared wavelength range, which are incompatible with long-distance fiber communication and unfavorable for imaging in biological tissues. Here, we report the experimental observation of a new color center that emits in the telecom O-band, which we observe in silicon-doped bulk single crystal diamonds and microdiamonds. Combining absorption and photoluminescence measurements, we identify a zero-phonon line at 1221 nm and phonon replicas separated by 42 meV. Using transient absorption spectroscopy, we measure an excited state lifetime of around 270 ps and observe a long-lived baseline that may arise from intersystem crossing to another spin manifold.

An electrically driven single-atom "flip-flop" qubit.

The spins of atoms and atom-like systems are among the most coherent objects in which to store quantum information. However, the need to address them using oscillating magnetic fields hinders their integration with quantum electronic devices. Here, we circumvent this hurdle by operating a single-atom "flip-flop" qubit in silicon, where quantum information is encoded in the electron-nuclear states of a phosphorus donor. The qubit is controlled using local electric fields at microwave frequencies, produced within a metal-oxide-semiconductor device. The electrical drive is mediated by the modulation of the electron-nuclear hyperfine coupling, a method that can be extended to many other atomic and molecular systems and to the hyperpolarization of nuclear spin ensembles. These results pave the way to the construction of solid-state quantum processors where dense arrays of atoms can be controlled using only local electric fields.

Silicon-Aluminum Phase-Transformation-Induced Superconducting Rings.

The development of devices that exhibit both superconducting and semiconducting properties is an important endeavor for emerging quantum technologies. We investigate superconducting nanowires fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. Aluminum from deposited contact electrodes is found to interdiffuse with Si along the entire length of the nanowire, over micrometer length scales and at temperatures well below the Al-Si eutectic. The phase-transformed material is conformal with the predefined device patterns. The superconducting properties of a transformed mesoscopic ring formed on a SOI platform are investigated. Low-temperature magnetoresistance oscillations, quantized in units of the fluxoid, h/2e, are observed.

Precision tomography of a three-qubit donor quantum processor in silicon.

Nuclear spins were among the first physical platforms to be considered for quantum information processing1,2, because of their exceptional quantum coherence3 and atomic-scale footprint. However, their full potential for quantum computing has not yet been realized, owing to the lack of methods with which to link nuclear qubits within a scalable device combined with multi-qubit operations with sufficient fidelity to sustain fault-tolerant quantum computation. Here we demonstrate universal quantum logic operations using a pair of ion-implanted 31P donor nuclei in a silicon nanoelectronic device. A nuclear two-qubit controlled-Z gate is obtained by imparting a geometric phase to a shared electron spin4, and used to prepare entangled Bell states with fidelities up to 94.2(2.7)%. The quantum operations are precisely characterized using gate set tomography (GST)5, yielding one-qubit average gate fidelities up to 99.95(2)%, two-qubit average gate fidelity of 99.37(11)% and two-qubit preparation/measurement fidelities of 98.95(4)%. These three metrics indicate that nuclear spins in silicon are approaching the performance demanded in fault-tolerant quantum processors6. We then demonstrate entanglement between the two nuclei and the shared electron by producing a Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger three-qubit state with 92.5(1.0)% fidelity. Because electron spin qubits in semiconductors can be further coupled to other electrons7-9 or physically shuttled across different locations10,11, these results establish a viable route for scalable quantum information processing using donor nuclear and electron spins.

Deterministic Shallow Dopant Implantation in Silicon with Detection Confidence Upper-Bound to 99.85% by Ion-Solid Interactions.

Silicon chips containing arrays of single dopant atoms can be the material of choice for classical and quantum devices that exploit single donor spins. For example, group-V donors implanted in isotopically purified 28 Si crystals are attractive for large-scale quantum computers. Useful attributes include long nuclear and electron spin lifetimes of 31 P, hyperfine clock transitions in 209 Bi or electrically controllable 123 Sb nuclear spins. Promising architectures require the ability to fabricate arrays of individual near-surface dopant atoms with high yield. Here, an on-chip detector electrode system with 70 eV root-mean-square noise (≈20 electrons) is employed to demonstrate near-room-temperature implantation of single 14 keV 31 P+ ions. The physics model for the ion-solid interaction shows an unprecedented upper-bound single-ion-detection confidence of 99.85 ± 0.02% for near-surface implants. As a result, the practical controlled silicon doping yield is limited by materials engineering factors including surface gate oxides in which detected ions may stop. For a device with 6 nm gate oxide and 14 keV 31 P+ implants, a yield limit of 98.1% is demonstrated. Thinner gate oxides allow this limit to converge to the upper-bound. Deterministic single-ion implantation can therefore be a viable materials engineering strategy for scalable dopant architectures in silicon devices.

Visible to Short-Wave Infrared Photodetectors Based on ZrGeTe4 van der Waals Materials.

The self-terminated, layered structure of van der Waals materials introduces fundamental advantages for infrared (IR) optoelectronic devices. These are mainly associated with the potential for low noise while maintaining high internal quantum efficiency when reducing IR absorber thicknesses. In this study, we introduce a new van der Waals material candidate, zirconium germanium telluride (ZrGeTe4), to a growing family of promising IR van der Waals materials. We find the bulk form ZrGeTe4 has an indirect band edge around ∼0.5 eV, in close agreement with previous theoretical predictions. This material is found to be stable up to 140 °C and shows minimal compositional variation even after >30 days storage in humid air. We demonstrate simple proof-of-concept broad spectrum photodetectors with responsivities above 0.1 AW-1 across both the visible and short-wave infrared wavelengths. This corresponds to a specific detectivity of ∼109 cm Hz1/2 W-1 at λ = 1.4 µm at room temperature. These devices show a linear photoresponse vs illumination intensity relationship over ∼4 orders of magnitude, and fast rise/fall times of ∼50 ns, also verified by a 3 dB roll-off frequency of 5.9 MHz. As the first demonstration of photodetection using ZrGeTe4, these characteristics measured on a simple proof-of-concept device show the exciting potential of the ZrGeTe4 for room temperature IR optoelectronic applications.

Conditional quantum operation of two exchange-coupled single-donor spin qubits in a MOS-compatible silicon device.

Silicon nanoelectronic devices can host single-qubit quantum logic operations with fidelity better than 99.9%. For the spins of an electron bound to a single-donor atom, introduced in the silicon by ion implantation, the quantum information can be stored for nearly 1 second. However, manufacturing a scalable quantum processor with this method is considered challenging, because of the exponential sensitivity of the exchange interaction that mediates the coupling between the qubits. Here we demonstrate the conditional, coherent control of an electron spin qubit in an exchange-coupled pair of 31P donors implanted in silicon. The coupling strength, J = 32.06 ± 0.06 MHz, is measured spectroscopically with high precision. Since the coupling is weaker than the electron-nuclear hyperfine coupling A ≈ 90 MHz which detunes the two electrons, a native two-qubit controlled-rotation gate can be obtained via a simple electron spin resonance pulse. This scheme is insensitive to the precise value of J, which makes it suitable for the scale-up of donor-based quantum computers in silicon that exploit the metal-oxide-semiconductor fabrication protocols commonly used in the classical electronics industry.

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.

Controllable freezing of the nuclear spin bath in a single-atom spin qubit.

The quantum coherence and gate fidelity of electron spin qubits in semiconductors are often limited by nuclear spin fluctuations. Enrichment of spin-zero isotopes in silicon markedly improves the dephasing time [Formula: see text], which, unexpectedly, can extend two orders of magnitude beyond theoretical expectations. Using a single-atom 31P qubit in enriched 28Si, we show that the abnormally long [Formula: see text] is due to the freezing of the dynamics of the residual 29Si nuclei, caused by the electron-nuclear hyperfine interaction. Inserting a waiting period when the electron is controllably removed unfreezes the nuclear dynamics and restores the ergodic [Formula: see text] value. Our conclusions are supported by a nearly parameter-free modeling of the 29Si nuclear spin dynamics, which reveals the degree of backaction provided by the electron spin. This study clarifies the limits of ergodic assumptions in nuclear bath dynamics and provides previously unidentified strategies for maximizing coherence and gate fidelity of spin qubits in semiconductors.

Imaging Domain Reversal in an Ultrathin Van der Waals Ferromagnet.

The recent isolation of 2D van der Waals magnetic materials has uncovered rich physics that often differs from the magnetic behavior of their bulk counterparts. However, the microscopic details of fundamental processes such as the initial magnetization or domain reversal, which govern the magnetic hysteresis, remain largely unknown in the ultrathin limit. Here a widefield nitrogen-vacancy (NV) microscope is employed to directly image these processes in few-layer flakes of the magnetic semiconductor vanadium triiodide (VI3 ). Complete and abrupt switching of most flakes is observed at fields Hc  ≈ 0.5-1 T (at 5 K) independent of thickness. The coercive field decreases as the temperature approaches the Curie temperature (Tc  ≈ 50 K); however, the switching remains abrupt. The initial magnetization process is then imaged, which reveals thickness-dependent domain wall depinning fields well below Hc . These results point to ultrathin VI3 being a nucleation-type hard ferromagnet, where the coercive field is set by the anisotropy-limited domain wall nucleation field. This work illustrates the power of widefield NV microscopy to investigate magnetization processes in van der Waals ferromagnets, which can be used to elucidate the origin of the hard ferromagnetic properties of other materials and explore field- and current-driven domain wall dynamics.

Scanned Single-Electron Probe inside a Silicon Electronic Device.

Solid-state devices can be fabricated at the atomic scale, with applications ranging from classical logic to current standards and quantum technologies. Although it is very desirable to probe these devices and the quantum states they host at the atomic scale, typical methods rely on long-ranged capacitive interactions, making this difficult. Here, we probe a silicon electronic device at the atomic scale using a localized electronic quantum dot induced directly within the device at a desired location, using the biased tip of a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. We demonstrate control over short-ranged tunnel coupling interactions of the quantum dot with the device's source reservoir using sub-nanometer position control of the tip and the quantum dot energy level using a voltage applied to the device's gate reservoir. Despite the ∼1 nm proximity of the quantum dot to the metallic tip, we find that the gate provides sufficient capacitance to enable a high degree of electric control. Combined with atomic-scale imaging, we use the quantum dot to probe applied electric fields and charge in individual defects in the device. This capability is expected to aid in the understanding of atomic-scale devices and the quantum states realized in them.

Laser Modulation of Superconductivity in a Cryogenic Wide-field Nitrogen-Vacancy Microscope.

We realize a cryogenic wide-field nitrogen-vacancy microscope and use it to image Abrikosov vortices and transport currents in a superconducting Nb film. We observe the disappearance of vortices upon increase of laser power and their clustering about hot spots upon decrease, indicating local quenching of superconductivity by the laser. Resistance measurements confirm the presence of large temperature gradients across the film. We then investigate the effect of such gradients on transport currents where the current path is seen to correlate with the temperature profile even in the fully superconducting phase. In addition to highlighting the role of temperature inhomogeneities in superconductivity phenomena, this work establishes that under sufficiently low laser power conditions wide-field nitrogen-vacancy microscopy enables imaging over mesoscopic scales down to 4 K with submicrometer spatial resolution, providing a new platform for spatially resolved investigations of a range of systems from topological insulators to van der Waals ferromagnets.

Color Centers Enabled by Direct Femto-Second Laser Writing in Wide Bandgap Semiconductors.

Color centers in silicon carbide are relevant for applications in quantum technologies as they can produce single photon sources or can be used as spin qubits and in quantum sensing applications. Here, we have applied femtosecond laser writing in silicon carbide and gallium nitride to generate vacancy-related color centers, giving rise to photoluminescence from the visible to the infrared. Using a 515 nm wavelength 230 fs pulsed laser, we produce large arrays of silicon vacancy defects in silicon carbide with a high localization within the confocal diffraction limit of 500 nm and with minimal material damage. The number of color centers formed exhibited power-law scaling with the laser fabrication energy indicating that the color centers are created by photoinduced ionization. This work highlights the simplicity and flexibility of laser fabrication of color center arrays in relevant materials for quantum applications.

Single Rare-Earth Ions as Atomic-Scale Probes in Ultrascaled Transistors.

Continued scaling of semiconductor devices has driven information technology into vastly diverse applications. The performance of ultrascaled transistors is strongly influenced by local electric field and strain. As the size of these devices approaches fundamental limits, it is imperative to develop characterization techniques with nanometer resolution and three-dimensional (3D) mapping capabilities for device optimization. Here, we report on the use of single erbium (Er) ions as atomic probes for the electric field and strain in a silicon ultrascaled transistor. Stark shifts on the Er3+ spectra induced by both the overall electric field and the local charge environment are observed. Changes in strain smaller than 3 × 10-6 are detected, which is around 2 orders of magnitude more sensitive than the standard techniques used in the semiconductor industry. These results open new possibilities for 3D mapping of the local strain and electric field in the channel of ultrascaled transistors.

Impact of Surface Functionalization on the Quantum Coherence of Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Nanodiamonds.

Nanoscale quantum probes such as the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamonds have demonstrated remarkable sensing capabilities over the past decade as control over fabrication and manipulation of these systems has evolved. The biocompatibility and rich surface chemistry of diamonds has added to the utility of these probes but, as the size of these nanoscale systems is reduced, the surface chemistry of diamond begins to impact the quantum properties of the NV center. In this work, we systematically study the effect of the diamond surface chemistry on the quantum coherence of the NV center in nanodiamonds (NDs) 50 nm in size. Our results show that a borane-reduced diamond surface can on average double the spin relaxation time of individual NV centers in nanodiamonds when compared to thermally oxidized surfaces. Using a combination of infrared and X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques, we correlate the changes in quantum relaxation rates with the conversion of sp2 carbon to C-O and C-H bonds on the diamond surface. These findings implicate double-bonded carbon species as a dominant source of spin noise for near surface NV centers. The link between the surface chemistry and quantum coherence indicates that through tailored engineering of the surface, the quantum properties and magnetic sensitivity of these nanoscale systems may approach that observed in bulk diamond.