Transmission phase read-out of a large quantum dot in a nanowire interferometer

Detecting the transmission phase of a quantum dot via interferometry can reveal the symmetry of the orbitals and details of electron transport. Crucially, interferometry will enable the read-out of topological qubits based on one-dimensional nanowires. However, measuring the transmission phase of a quantum dot in a nanowire has not yet been established. Here, we exploit recent breakthroughs in the growth of one-dimensional networks and demonstrate interferometric read-out in a nanowire-based architecture. In our two-path interferometer, we define a quantum dot in one branch and use the other path as a reference arm. We observe Fano resonances stemming from the interference between electrons that travel through the reference arm and undergo resonant tunnelling in the quantum dot. Between consecutive Fano peaks, the transmission phase exhibits phase lapses that are affected by the presence of multiple trajectories in the interferometer. These results provide critical insights for the design of future topological qubits.QRD/Kouwenhoven LabQuTechQN/Kouwenhoven La

Full parity phase diagram of a proximitized nanowire island

We measure the charge periodicity of Coulomb blockade conductance oscillations of a hybrid InSb-Al island as a function of gate voltage and parallel magnetic field. The periodicity changes from to at a gate-dependent value of the magnetic field, , decreasing from a high to a low limit upon increasing the gate voltage. In the gate voltage region between the two limits, which our numerical simulations indicate to be the most promising for locating Majorana zero modes, we observe correlated oscillations of peak spacings and heights. For positive gate voltages, the transition with low is due to the presence of nontopological states whose energy quickly disperses below the charging energy due to the orbital effect of the magnetic field. Our measurements highlight the importance of a careful exploration of the entire available phase space of a proximitized nanowire as a prerequisite to define future topological qubits.Architecture and the Built EnvironmentQuTechQCD/Veldhorst LabBUS/Quantum DelftQRD/Kouwenhoven LabOptical and Laser Remote SensingQN/Kouwenhoven La

Impact of Junction Length on Supercurrent Resilience against Magnetic Field in InSb-Al Nanowire Josephson Junctions

Semiconducting nanowire Josephson junctions represent an attractive platform to investigate the anomalous Josephson effect and detect topological superconductivity. However, an external magnetic field generally suppresses the supercurrent through hybrid nanowire junctions and significantly limits the field range in which the supercurrent phenomena can be studied. In this work, we investigate the impact of the length of InSb-Al nanowire Josephson junctions on the supercurrent resilience against magnetic fields. We find that the critical parallel field of the supercurrent can be considerably enhanced by reducing the junction length. Particularly, in 30 nm long junctions supercurrent can persist up to 1.3 T parallel field─approaching the critical field of the superconducting film. Furthermore, we embed such short junctions into a superconducting loop and obtain the supercurrent interference at a parallel field of 1 T. Our findings are highly relevant for multiple experiments on hybrid nanowires requiring a magnetic-field-resilient supercurrent.QRD/Kouwenhoven LabQRD/Wimmer GroupQCD/Veldhorst LabBUS/Quantum DelftQN/Kouwenhoven La

Selectivity Map for Molecular Beam Epitaxy of Advanced III-V Quantum Nanowire Networks

Selective-area growth is a promising technique for enabling of the fabrication of the scalable III-V nanowire networks required to test proposals for Majorana-based quantum computing devices. However, the contours of the growth parameter window resulting in selective growth remain undefined. Herein, we present a set of experimental techniques that unambiguously establish the parameter space window resulting in selective III-V nanowire networks growth by molecular beam epitaxy. Selectivity maps are constructed for both GaAs and InAs compounds based on in situ characterization of growth kinetics on GaAs(001) substrates, where the difference in group III adatom desorption rates between the III-V surface and the amorphous mask area is identified as the primary mechanism governing selectivity. The broad applicability of this method is demonstrated by the successful realization of high-quality InAs and GaAs nanowire networks on GaAs, InP, and InAs substrates of both (001) and (111)B orientations as well as homoepitaxial InSb nanowire networks. Finally, phase coherence in Aharonov-Bohm ring experiments validates the potential of these crystals for nanoelectronics and quantum transport applications. This work should enable faster and better nanoscale crystal engineering over a range of compound semiconductors for improved device performance.QRD/Kouwenhoven LabQuTechSafety and SecurityBUS/Genera

Shadow-wall lithography of ballistic superconductor–semiconductor quantum devices

The realization of hybrid superconductor–semiconductor quantum devices, in particular a topological qubit, calls for advanced techniques to readily and reproducibly engineer induced superconductivity in semiconductor nanowires. Here, we introduce an on-chip fabrication paradigm based on shadow walls that offers substantial advances in device quality and reproducibility. It allows for the implementation of hybrid quantum devices and ultimately topological qubits while eliminating fabrication steps such as lithography and etching. This is critical to preserve the integrity and homogeneity of the fragile hybrid interfaces. The approach simplifies the reproducible fabrication of devices with a hard induced superconducting gap and ballistic normal-/superconductor junctions. Large gate-tunable supercurrents and high-order multiple Andreev reflections manifest the exceptional coherence of the resulting nanowire Josephson junctions. Our approach enables the realization of 3-terminal devices, where zero-bias conductance peaks emerge in a magnetic field concurrently at both boundaries of the one-dimensional hybrids.BUS/Quantum DelftQuTechQCD/Veldhorst LabQRD/Kouwenhoven LabGeneralQCD/Vandersypen LabBUS/TNO STAFFQN/Kouwenhoven La

Single-Shot Fabrication of Semiconducting–Superconducting Nanowire Devices

Semiconducting–superconducting hybrids are vital components for the realization of high-performance nanoscale devices. In particular, semiconducting–superconducting nanowires attract widespread interest owing to the possible presence of non-abelian Majorana zero modes, which are quasiparticles that hold promise for topological quantum computing. However, systematic search for Majoranas signatures is challenging because it requires reproducible hybrid devices and reliable fabrication methods. This work introduces a fabrication concept based on shadow walls that enables the in situ, selective, and consecutive depositions of superconductors and normal metals to form normal-superconducting junctions. Crucially, this method allows to realize devices in a single shot, eliminating fabrication steps after the synthesis of the fragile semiconductor/superconductor interface. At the atomic level, all investigated devices reveal a sharp and defect-free semiconducting–superconducting interface and, correspondingly, a hard induced superconducting gap resilient up to 2 T is measured electrically. While the cleanliness of the technique enables systematic studies of topological superconductivity in nanowires, it also allows for the synthesis of advanced nano-devices based on a wide range of material combinations and geometries while maintaining an exceptionally high interface quality.QCD/Veldhorst LabQRD/Kouwenhoven LabBUS/Quantum DelftQN/Kouwenhoven La