PRB-Rapid: Spin-orbit coupling and operation of multivalley spin qubits

M. Veldhorst, R. Ruskov, C. H. Yang, J. C. C. Hwang, F. E. Hudson, M. E. Flatté, C. Tahan, K. M. Itoh, A. Morello, and A. S. Dzurak

Spin qubits composed of either one or three electrons are realized in a quantum dot formed at a Si/SiO2 interface in isotopically enriched silicon. Using pulsed electron-spin resonance, we perform coherent control of both types of qubits, addressing them via an electric field dependent g factor. We perform randomized benchmarking and find that both qubits can be operated with high fidelity. Surprisingly, we find that the g factors of the one-electron and three-electron qubits have an approximately linear but opposite dependence as a function of the applied dc electric field. We develop a theory to explain this g-factor behavior based on the spin-valley coupling that results from the sharp interface. The outer “shell” electron in the three-electron qubit exists in the higher of the two available conduction-band valley states, in contrast with the one-electron case, where the electron is in the lower valley. We formulate a modified effective mass theory and propose that intervalley spin-flip tunneling dominates over intravalley spin flips in this system, leading to a direct correlation between the spin-orbit coupling parameters and the g factors in the two valleys. In addition to offering all-electrical tuning for single-qubit gates, the g-factor physics revealed here for one-electron and three-electron qubits offers potential opportunities for different qubit control approaches.

Spin-orbit coupling and operation of multivalley spin qubits (aps.org)



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  • Charles Tahan
    Physicist in Washington, D.C.