Shannon Harvey

Demonstration of entanglement of electrostatically coupled singlet-triplet qubits.

Entangling Qubits The basic building block of a quantum computer, a qubit, has been realized in many physical settings, each of which has its advantages and drawbacks. Solid-state spin qubits interact weakly with their environment and each other, leading not only to long coherence times but also to difficulties in performing multiqubit operations. Shulman et al. (p. 202) used a double quantum dot to produce a singlet-triplet qubit, where the two quantum states available are a singlet and a triplet formed by two spin-1/2 electrons. Two such qubits are then entangled by electrical gating, which affects the charge configuration of one qubit and that, in turn, influences the electric field experienced by the other. This type of two-qubit entanglement is essential for further development of quantum computing in these systems. The states of two qubits residing in a pair of double quantum dots are rendered interdependent through electrical gating. Quantum computers have the potential to solve certain problems faster than classical computers. To exploit their power, it is necessary to perform interqubit operations and generate entangled states. Spin qubits are a promising candidate for implementing a quantum processor because of their potential for scalability and miniaturization. However, their weak interactions with the environment, which lead to their long coherence times, make interqubit operations challenging. We performed a controlled two-qubit operation between singlet-triplet qubits using a dynamically decoupled sequence that maintains the two-qubit coupling while decoupling each qubit from its fluctuating environment. Using state tomography, we measured the full density matrix of the system and determined the concurrence and the fidelity of the generated state, providing proof of entanglement.

Charge Noise Spectroscopy Using Coherent Exchange Oscillations in a Singlet-Triplet Qubit

Two level systems that can be reliably controlled and measured hold promise as qubits both for metrology and for quantum information science. Since a fluctuating environment limits the performance of qubits in both capacities, understanding environmental coupling and dynamics is key to improving qubit performance. We show measurements of the level splitting and dephasing due to the voltage noise of a GaAs singlet-triplet qubit during exchange oscillations. Unexpectedly, the voltage fluctuations are non-Markovian even at high frequencies and exhibit a strong temperature dependence. This finding has impacts beyond singlet-triplet qubits since nearly all solid state qubits suffer from some kind of charge noise. The magnitude of the fluctuations allows the qubit to be used as a charge sensor with a sensitivity of 2 × 10(-8)e/sqrt[Hz], 2 orders of magnitude better than a quantum-limited rf single electron transistor. Based on these measurements, we provide recommendations for improving qubit coherence, allowing for higher fidelity operations and improved charge sensitivity.

Suppressing qubit dephasing using real-time Hamiltonian estimation

Unwanted interaction between a quantum system and its fluctuating environment leads to decoherence and is the primary obstacle to establishing a scalable quantum information processing architecture. Strategies such as environmental and materials engineering, quantum error correction and dynamical decoupling can mitigate decoherence, but generally increase experimental complexity. Here we improve coherence in a qubit using real-time Hamiltonian parameter estimation. Using a rapidly converging Bayesian approach, we precisely measure the splitting in a singlet-triplet spin qubit faster than the surrounding nuclear bath fluctuates. We continuously adjust qubit control parameters based on this information, thereby improving the inhomogenously broadened coherence time from tens of nanoseconds to >2 μs. Because the technique demonstrated here is compatible with arbitrary qubit operations, it is a natural complement to quantum error correction and can be used to improve the performance of a wide variety of qubits in both meteorological and quantum information processing applications.

High-fidelity entangling gate for double-quantum-dot spin qubits

Electron spins in semiconductors are promising qubits because their long coherence times enable nearly 109 coherent quantum gate operations. However, developing a scalable high-fidelity two-qubit gate remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate an entangling gate between two double-quantum-dot spin qubits in GaAs by using a magnetic field gradient between the two dots in each qubit to suppress decoherence due to charge noise. When the magnetic gradient dominates the voltage-controlled exchange interaction between electrons, qubit coherence times increase by an order of magnitude. Using randomized benchmarking, we measure single-qubit gate fidelities of ~ 99%, and through self-consistent quantum measurement, state, and process tomography, we measure an entangling gate fidelity of 90%. In the future, operating double quantum dot spin qubits with large gradients in nuclear-spin-free materials, such as Si, should enable a two-qubit gate fidelity surpassing the threshold for fault-tolerant quantum information processing.Quantum computing: high-fidelity two-qubit entangling gateScientists have invented a new way to entangle electron spins. Entanglement, or “spooky action at a distance,” is one of the key requirements for a universal quantum computer, because it enables the transfer of information between quantum bits, or qubits. For qubits consisting of electron spins trapped in semiconductors, the Coulomb interaction between electrons can be harnessed to create entanglement. In this approach, however, the coherence of the individual spins is susceptible to spurious charge noise in the semiconductor. Amir Yacoby and colleagues at Harvard University and Purdue University overcame this challenge by using a large magnetic field gradient in a double-quantum-dot spin qubit to suppress the effects charge noise. By mitigating charge-noise-induced decoherence, the team demonstrated a two-qubit entangling gate fidelity of 90%. This high-fidelity entangling operation marks a significant milestone for spin qubits and points the way toward a scalable high-fidelity spin-based quantum computer.

Quenching of dynamic nuclear polarization by spin-orbit coupling in GaAs quantum dots

The central-spin problem is a widely studied model of quantum decoherence. Dynamic nuclear polarization occurs in central-spin systems when electronic angular momentum is transferred to nuclear spins and is exploited in quantum information processing for coherent spin manipulation. However, the mechanisms limiting this process remain only partially understood. Here we show that spin–orbit coupling can quench dynamic nuclear polarization in a GaAs quantum dot, because spin conservation is violated in the electron–nuclear system, despite weak spin–orbit coupling in GaAs. Using Landau–Zener sweeps to measure static and dynamic properties of the electron spin–flip probability, we observe that the size of the spin–orbit and hyperfine interactions depends on the magnitude and direction of applied magnetic field. We find that dynamic nuclear polarization is quenched when the spin–orbit contribution exceeds the hyperfine, in agreement with a theoretical model. Our results shed light on the surprisingly strong effect of spin–orbit coupling in central-spin systems.