Superconducting Gatemon Qubit based on a Proximitized Two-Dimensional Electron Gas

The coherent tunnelling of Cooper pairs across Josephson junctions (JJs) generates a nonlinear inductance that is used extensively in quantum information processors based on superconducting circuits, from setting qubit transition frequencies and interqubit coupling strengths, to the gain of parametric amplifiers for quantum-limited readout. The inductance is either set by tailoring the metal-oxide dimensions of single JJs, or magnetically tuned by parallelizing multiple JJs in superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) with local current-biased flux lines. JJs based on superconductor-semiconductor hybrids represent a tantalizing all-electric alternative. The gatemon is a recently developed transmon variant which employs locally gated nanowire (NW) superconductor-semiconductor JJs for qubit control. Here, we go beyond proof-of-concept and demonstrate that semiconducting channels etched from a wafer-scale two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) are a suitable platform for building a scalable gatemon-based quantum computer. We show 2DEG gatemons meet the requirements by performing voltage-controlled single qubit rotations and two-qubit swap operations. We measure qubit coherence times up to ~2 us, limited by dielectric loss in the 2DEG host substrate

Hybridization of sub-gap states in one-dimensional superconductor/semiconductor Coulomb islands

We present measurements of one-dimensional superconductor-semiconductor Coulomb islands, fabricated by gate confinement of a two-dimensional InAs heterostructure with an epitaxial Al layer. When tuned via electrostatic side gates to regimes without sub-gap states, Coulomb blockade reveals Cooper-pair mediated transport. When sub-gap states are present, Coulomb peak positions and heights oscillate in a correlated way with magnetic field and gate voltage, as predicted theoretically, with (anti) crossings in (parallel) transverse magnetic field indicating Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling. Overall results are consistent with a picture of overlapping Majorana zero modes in finite wires

Evidence of topological superconductivity in planar Josephson junctions

Majorana zero modes are quasiparticle states localized at the boundaries of topological superconductors that are expected to be ideal building blocks for fault-tolerant quantum computing. Several observations of zero-bias conductance peaks measured in tunneling spectroscopy above a critical magnetic field have been reported as experimental indications of Majorana zero modes in superconductor/semiconductor nanowires. On the other hand, two dimensional systems offer the alternative approach to confine Ma jorana channels within planar Josephson junctions, in which the phase difference {\phi} between the superconducting leads represents an additional tuning knob predicted to drive the system into the topological phase at lower magnetic fields. Here, we report the observation of phase-dependent zero-bias conductance peaks measured by tunneling spectroscopy at the end of Josephson junctions realized on a InAs/Al heterostructure. Biasing the junction to {\phi} ~ {\pi} significantly reduces the critical field at which the zero-bias peak appears, with respect to {\phi} = 0. The phase and magnetic field dependence of the zero-energy states is consistent with a model of Majorana zero modes in finite-size Josephson junctions. Besides providing experimental evidence of phase-tuned topological superconductivity, our devices are compatible with superconducting quantum electrodynamics architectures and scalable to complex geometries needed for topological quantum computing.Comment: main text and extended dat

Phase-dependent Andreev molecules and superconducting gap closing in coherently coupled Josephson junctions

The Josephson junction (JJ) is an essential element of superconducting (SC) devices for both fundamental and applied physics. The short-range coherent coupling of two adjacent JJs forms the Andreev molecule states (AMSs), which will provide a new ingredient to engineer the SC transport in JJs and control the Andreev qubits. However, no experimental evidence of the AMSs in the coupled JJs has been reported. Here we provide the tunnel spectroscopic results of electrically controllable two planar JJs sharing one SC electrode. We discover that the coupled JJ results are highly modulated from the single JJ results, due to formation of the phase-dependent AMSs, meaning that the two JJs are coherently coupled. In addition, the superconducting gap closing due to the AMS formation is observed. Our results would help in understanding the microscopic mechanism of the coherent coupling and promoting the AMS physics to apply for research of the topological superconductivity and quantum information technology

Sign reversal of the AC and DC supercurrent diode effect and 0-π\pi-like transitions in ballistic Josephson junctions

The recent discovery of intrinsic supercurrent diode effect, and its prompt observation in a rich variety of systems, has shown that nonreciprocal supercurrents naturally emerge when both space- and time-inversion symmetries are broken. In Josephson junctions, nonreciprocal supercurrent can be conveniently described in terms of spin-split Andreev states. Here, we demonstrate a sign reversal of the supercurrent diode effect, in both its AC and DC manifestations. In particular, the AC diode effect -- i.e., the asymmetry of the Josephson inductance as a function of the supercurrent -- allows us to probe the current-phase relation near equilibrium. Using a minimal theoretical model, we can then link the sign reversal of the AC diode effect to the so-called 0-$\pi$-like transition, a predicted, but still elusive feature of multi-channel junctions. Our results demonstrate the potential of inductance measurements as sensitive probes of the fundamental properties of unconventional Josephson junctions.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure

Link between supercurrent diode and anomalous Josephson effect revealed by gate-controlled interferometry

In Josephson diodes the asymmetry between positive and negative current branch of the current-phase relation leads to a polarity-dependent critical current and Josephson inductance. The supercurrent nonreciprocity can be described as a consequence of the anomalous Josephson effect -- a $\varphi_0$-shift of the current-phase relation -- in multichannel ballistic junctions with strong spin-orbit interaction. In this work, we simultaneously investigate $\varphi_0$-shift and supercurrent diode efficiency on the same Josephson junction by means of a superconducting quantum interferometer. By electrostatic gating, we reveal a direct link between $\varphi_0$-shift and diode effect. Our findings show that the supercurrent diode effect mainly results from magnetochiral anisotropy induced by spin-orbit interaction in combination with a Zeeman field.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure

Electrical Properties of Selective-Area-Grown Superconductor-Semiconductor Hybrid Structures on Silicon

We present a superconductor-semiconductor material system that is both scalable and monolithically integrated on a silicon substrate. It uses selective area growth of Al-InAs hybrid structures on a planar III-V buffer layer, grown directly on a high resistivity silicon substrate. We characterized the electrical properties of this material system at millikelvin temperatures and observed a high average field-effect mobility of $\mu \approx 3200\,\mathrm{cm^2/Vs}$ for the InAs channel, and a hard induced superconducting gap. Josephson junctions exhibited a high interface transmission, $\mathcal{T} \approx 0.75$, gate voltage tunable switching current with a product of critical current and normal state resistance, $I_{\mathrm{C}}R_{\mathrm{N}} \approx 83\,\mathrm{\mu V}$, and signatures of multiple Andreev reflections. These results pave the way for scalable and high coherent gate voltage tunable transmon devices and other superconductor-semiconductor hybrids fabricated directly on silicon

Closing of the Induced Gap in a Hybrid Superconductor-Semiconductor Nanowire

Hybrid superconductor-semiconductor nanowires are predicted to undergo a field-induced phase transition from a trivial to a topological superconductor, marked by the closure and re-opening of the excitation gap, followed by the emergence of Majorana bound states at the nanowire ends. Many local density-of-states measurements have reported signatures of the topological phase, however this interpretation has been challenged by alternative explanations. Here, by measuring nonlocal conductance, we identify the closure of the excitation gap in the bulk of the semiconductor before the emergence of zero-bias peaks. This observation is inconsistent with scenarios where zero-bias peaks occur due to end-states with a trivially gapped bulk, which have been extensively considered in the theoretical and experimental literature. We observe that after the gap closes, nonlocal signals fluctuate strongly and persist irrespective of the presence of local-conductance zero-bias peaks. Thus, our observations are also incompatible with a simple picture of clean topological superconductivity. This work presents a new experimental approach for probing the spatial extent of states in Majorana wires, and reveals the presence of a regime with a continuum of spatially extended states and uncorrelated zero-bias peaks

Relating Andreev Bound States and Supercurrents in Hybrid Josephson Junctions

We investigate superconducting quantum interference devices consisting of two highly transmissive Josephson junctions coupled by a superconducting loop, all defined in an epitaxial InAs/Al heterostructure. A novel device design allows for independent measurements of the Andreev bound state spectrum within the normal region of a junction and the resulting current-phase relation. We show that knowledge of the Andreev bound state spectrum alone is enough to derive the independently measured phase dependent supercurrent. On the other hand, the opposite relation does not generally hold true as details of the energy spectrum are averaged out in a critical current measurement. Finally, quantitative understanding of field dependent spectrum and supercurrent require taking into account the second junction in the loop and the kinetic inductance of the epitaxial Al film

Coherent transport through a Majorana island in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer

Majorana zero modes are leading candidates for topological quantum computation due to non-local qubit encoding and non-abelian exchange statistics. Spatially separated Majorana modes are expected to allow phase-coherent single-electron transport through a topological superconducting island via a mechanism referred to as teleportation. Here we experimentally investigate such a system by patterning an elongated epitaxial InAs-Al island embedded in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer. With increasing parallel magnetic field, a discrete sub-gap state in the island is lowered to zero energy yielding persistent 1e-periodic Coulomb blockade conductance peaks (e is the elementary charge). In this condition, conductance through the interferometer is observed to oscillate in a perpendicular magnetic field with a flux period of h/e (h is Planck's constant), indicating coherent transport of single electrons through the islands, a signature of electron teleportation via Majorana modes, could also be observed, suggesting additional non-Majorana mechanisms for 1e transport through these moderately short wires