Nonlocal Andreev reflection, fractional charge and current-phase relation in topological bilayer exciton condensate junctions

We study Andreev reflection and Josephson currents in topological bilayer exciton condensates (TEC). These systems can create 100% spin entangled nonlocal currents with high amplitudes due to perfect nonlocal Andreev reflection. This Andreev reflection process can be gate tuned from a regime of purely retro reflection to purely specular reflection. We have studied the bound states in TEC-TI-TEC Josephson junctions and find a gapless dispersion for perpendicular incidence. The presence of a sharp transition in the supercurrent-phase relationship when the system is in equilibrium is a signature of fractional charge, which can be further revealed in ac measurements faster than relaxation processes via Landau-Zener processes.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review

Silicon CMOS architecture for a spin-based quantum computer

Recent advances in quantum error correction (QEC) codes for fault-tolerant quantum computing \cite{Terhal2015} and physical realizations of high-fidelity qubits in a broad range of platforms \cite{Kok2007, Brown2011, Barends2014, Waldherr2014, Dolde2014, Muhonen2014, Veldhorst2014} give promise for the construction of a quantum computer based on millions of interacting qubits. However, the classical-quantum interface remains a nascent field of exploration. Here, we propose an architecture for a silicon-based quantum computer processor based entirely on complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, which is the basis for all modern processor chips. We show how a transistor-based control circuit together with charge-storage electrodes can be used to operate a dense and scalable two-dimensional qubit system. The qubits are defined by the spin states of a single electron confined in a quantum dot, coupled via exchange interactions, controlled using a microwave cavity, and measured via gate-based dispersive readout \cite{Colless2013}. This system, based entirely on available technology and existing components, is compatible with general surface code quantum error correction \cite{Terhal2015}, enabling large-scale universal quantum computation

Nonlocal Cooper pair Splitting in a pSn Junction

Perfect Cooper pair splitting is proposed, based on crossed Andreev reflection (CAR) in a p-type semiconductor - superconductor - n-type semiconductor (pSn) junction. The ideal splitting is caused by the energy filtering that is enforced by the bandstructure of the electrodes. The pSn junction is modeled by the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations and an extension of the Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk theory beyond the Andreev approximation. Despite a large momentum mismatch, the CAR current is predicted to be large. The proposed straightforward experimental design and the 100% degree of pureness of the nonlocal current open the way to pSn structures as high quality sources of entanglement

Experimental realization of SQUIDs with topological insulator junctions

We demonstrate topological insulator (Bi$_2$Te$_3$) dc SQUIDs, based on superconducting Nb leads coupled to nano-fabricated Nb-Bi$_2$Te$_3$-Nb Josephson junctions. The high reproducibility and controllability of the fabrication process allows the creation of dc SQUIDs with parameters that are in agreement with design values. Clear critical current modulation of both the junctions and the SQUID with applied magnetic fields have been observed. We show that the SQUIDs have a periodicity in the voltage-flux characteristic of $\Phi_0$, of relevance to the ongoing pursuit of realizing interferometers for the detection of Majorana fermions in superconductor- topological insulator structures

Light effective hole mass in undoped Ge/SiGe quantum wells

We report density-dependent effective hole mass measurements in undoped germanium quantum wells. We are able to span a large range of densities ($2.0-11\times10^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$) in top-gated field effect transistors by positioning the strained buried Ge channel at different depths of 12 and 44 nm from the surface. From the thermal damping of the amplitude of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, we measure a light mass of $0.061m_e$ at a density of $2.2\times10^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$. We confirm the theoretically predicted dependence of increasing mass with density and by extrapolation we find an effective mass of $\sim0.05m_e$ at zero density, the lightest effective mass for a planar platform that demonstrated spin qubits in quantum dots

Long range spin supercurrents in ferromagnetic CrO2_2 using a multilayer contact structure

e report measurements of long ranged supercurrents through ferromagnetic and fully spin-polarized CrO$_2$ deposited on TiO$_2$ substrates. In earlier work, we found supercurrents in films grown on sapphire but not on TiO$_2$. Here we employed a special contact arrangement, consisting of a Ni/Cu sandwich between the film and the superconducting amorphous Mo$_{70}$Ge$_{30}$ electrodes. The distance between the contacts was almost a micrometer, and we find the critical current density to be significantly higher than found in the films deposited on sapphire. We argue this is due to spin mixing in the Ni/Cu/CrO$_2$ layer structure, which is helpful in the generation of the odd-frequency spin triplet correlations needed to carry the supercurrent.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure

Impact of g-factors and valleys on spin qubits in a silicon double quantum dot

We define single electron spin qubits in a silicon MOS double quantum dot system. By mapping the qubit resonance frequency as a function of gate-induced electric field, the spectrum reveals an anticrossing that is consistent with an inter-valley spin-orbit coupling. We fit the data from which we extract an inter-valley coupling strength of 43 MHz. In addition, we observe a narrow resonance near the primary qubit resonance when we operate the device in the (1,1) charge configuration. The experimental data is consistent with a simulation involving two weakly exchanged-coupled spins with a g-factor difference of 1 MHz, of the same order as the Rabi frequency. We conclude that the narrow resonance is the result of driven transitions between the T- and T+ triplet states, using an ESR signal of frequency located halfway between the resonance frequencies of the two individual spins. The findings presented here offer an alternative method of implementing two-qubit gates, of relevance to the operation of larger scale spin qubit systems