We perform readout of a quantum-dot hybrid qubit coupled to a superconducting resonator through a parametric, longitudinal interaction mechanism. Our experiments are performed with the qubit and resonator frequencies detuned by ~10 GHz, demonstrating that longitudinal coupling can facilitate semiconductor qubit operation in the ‘ultra-dispersive’ regime of circuit quantum electrodynamics.

Semiconductors are among the most promising platforms to implement large-scale quantum computers, as advanced manufacturing techniques allow fabrication of large quantum dot arrays1. Various qubit encodings can be used to store and manipulate quantum information on these quantum dot arrays. Regardless of qubit encoding, precise control over the exchange interaction between electrons confined in quantum dots in the array is critical. Furthermore, it is necessary to execute high-fidelity quantum operations concurrently to make full use of the limited coherence of individual qubits. Here we demonstrate the parallel operation of two exchange-only qubits, consisting of six quantum dots in a linear arrangement. Using randomized benchmarking (RB) techniques, we show that issuing pulses on the five barrier gates to modulate exchange interactions in a maximally parallel way maintains the quality of qubit control relative to sequential operation. The techniques developed to perform parallel exchange pulses can be readily adapted to other quantum-dot-based encodings. Moreover, we show the first, to our knowledge, experimental demonstrations of an iSWAP gate for exchange-only qubits and of a charge-locking Pauli spin blockade (PSB) readout method. The results are validated using cross-entropy benchmarking (XEB)2, a technique useful for performance characterization of larger quantum computing systems; here it is used for the first time on a quantum system based on semiconductor technology.

Optical illumination of quantum-dot qubit devices at cryogenic temperatures, while not well studied, is often used to recover operating conditions after undesired shocking events or charge injection. Here, we demonstrate systematic threshold voltage shifts in a dopant-free, Si/SiGe field effect transistor using a near infrared (780 nm) laser diode. We find that illumination under an applied gate voltage can be used to set a specific, stable, and reproducible threshold voltage that, over a wide range in gate bias, is equal to that gate bias. Outside this range, the threshold voltage can still be tuned, although the resulting threshold voltage is no longer equal to the applied gate bias during illumination. We present a simple and intuitive model that provides a mechanism for the tunability in gate bias. The model presented also explains why cryogenic illumination is successful at resetting quantum dot qubit devices after undesired charging events.

Superconducting cavities have emerged as a key tool for measuring the spin states of quantum dots. So far, however, few experiments have explored longitudinal couplings between quantum dots and cavities, and no solid-state qubit experiments have explicitly probed the "adiabatic" regime, where the Purcell decay is strongly suppressed. Here we report measurements of a double-quantum-dot charge qubit coupled to a high-impedance resonator via a "flip-chip" design geometry. By applying an adiabatic ac drive to the qubit through two different channels, and studying the effects of qubit energy detuning, interdot tunneling, and driving strength, we are able to unequivocally confirm the presence of a longitudinal coupling between the qubit and the cavity, while the qubit remains in its ground state. Since this coupling is proportional to the driving amplitude, and is therefore switchable, it has the potential to become a powerful tool in qubit experiments.

Large-scale arrays of quantum-dot spin qubits in Si/SiGe quantum wells require large or tunable energy splittings of the valley states associated with degenerate conduction band minima. Existing proposals to deterministically enhance the valley splitting rely on sharp interfaces or modifications in the quantum well barriers that can be difficult to grow. Here, we propose and demonstrate a new heterostructure, the “Wiggle Well”, whose key feature is Ge concentration oscillations inside the quantum well. Experimentally, we show that placing Ge in the quantum well does not significantly impact our ability to form and manipulate single-electron quantum dots. We further observe large and widely tunable valley splittings, from 54 to 239 μ eV. Tight-binding calculations, and the tunability of the valley splitting, indicate that these results can mainly be attributed to random concentration fluctuations that are amplified by the presence of Ge alloy in the heterostructure, as opposed to a deterministic enhancement due to the concentration oscillations. Quantitative predictions for several other heterostructures point to the Wiggle Well as a robust method for reliably enhancing the valley splitting in future qubit devices.

Superconducting cavities have emerged as a key tool for measuring the spin states of quantum dots. So far however, few experiments have explored longitudinal couplings between dots and cavities, and no solid-state qubit experiments have explicitly probed the "adiabatic" regime, where the Purcell decay is strongly suppressed. Here, we report measurements of a double-quantum-dot charge qubit coupled to a high-impedance resonator via a "flip-chip" design geometry. By applying an adiabatic ac drive to the qubit through two different channels, and studying the effects of qubit energy detuning, interdot tunneling, and driving strength, we are able to unequivocally confirm the presence of a longitudinal coupling between the qubit and cavity, while the qubit remains in its ground state. Since this coupling is proportional to the driving amplitude, and is therefore switchable, it has the potential to become a powerful new tool in qubit experiments.

The current autotuning approaches for quantum dot (QD) devices, while showing some success, lack an assessment of data reliability. This leads to unexpected failures when noisy or otherwise low-quality data is processed by an autonomous system. In this work, we propose a framework for robust autotuning of QD devices that combines a machine learning (ML) state classifier with a data quality control module. The data quality control module acts as a"gatekeeper"system, ensuring that only reliable data are processed by the state classifier. Lower data quality results in either device recalibration or termination. To train both ML systems, we enhance the QD simulation by incorporating synthetic noise typical of QD experiments. We confirm that the inclusion of synthetic noise in the training of the state classifier significantly improves the performance, resulting in an accuracy of 95.0(9) % when tested on experimental data. We then validate the functionality of the data quality control module by showing that the state classifier performance deteriorates with decreasing data quality, as expected. Our results establish a robust and flexible ML framework for autonomous tuning of noisy QD devices.

We describe our progress in developing a method for correcting residual figure errors in X-ray mirrors. The technology has applications to both synchrotron radiation beamlines and X-ray astronomy. Our concept is to develop mirrors that are on the order of a millimeter thick. A magnetic smart material (MSM) is deposited onto the mirror substrate (silicon) and coated with a magnetically hard material. The shape of the mirror can be controlled by applying an external magnetic field to the mirror. This causes the MSM to expand or contract, thereby applying a magnetostrictive stress to the mirror and changing its shape. The shape change is maintained after the field has been removed by the magnetic hard material, which retains part of the field and prevents the MSM from relaxing. Here we present the results of shaping 200 µm thick silicon (100) 14 × 2 mm cantilevers and 50 × 50 × 0.1 mm substrates. We demonstrate that not only can a sizable deflection be created, but it can also be retained for ∼ 60 hours.

One of the pressing needs for the UV-Vis is an affordable design that allows larger mirrors than the JWST primary. In this publication we report the results of the first year of a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Phase II study. Our project is called A Precise Extremely large Reflective Telescope Using Reconfigurable Elements (APERTURE). The concept is to deploy a continuous membrane-like mirror. The mirror figure will be corrected after deployment, causing the figure error to decrease below λ/20. While the basic concept is not new, our innovation lies in a different approach to correcting the residual figure errors from the classical piezoelectricpatch technology. Instead, our concept is based on a contiguous coating of a magnetic smart material (MSM). After deployment, a magnetic write head will move along the non-reflecting side of the mirror. The magnetic field will produce a stress in the MSM which then corrects the mirror shape. This publication summarizes the results of minimizing the MSM deposition stress as well as the size and stability of the deformation, which is maintained by a magnetically hard material.