Microwave Assisted Transport in a Single Donor Silicon Quantum Dot

TL;DR

This paper investigates microwave-assisted electron transport through a single arsenic donor in silicon, revealing photon-assisted tunneling and energy level spectroscopy enhancements at millikelvin temperatures.

Contribution

It demonstrates microwave-induced tunneling through the donor’s excited state, advancing understanding of quantum transport in atomic-scale silicon devices.

Findings

Photon-assisted tunneling observed at low microwave power

Microwave induced electron pumping at high power

Enhanced energy level spectroscopy of the donor

Abstract

Single donors in semiconductor nanostructures represent a key element to develop spin related quantum functionalities in atomic scale devices. Quantum transport through a single Arsenic donor in the channel of a Silicon nano-field effect transistor under microwave irradiation is investigated. The device is characterized at mK temperatures in the regime of Coulomb-blockade. Photon assisted tunneling and microwave induced electron pumping regimes are revealed respectively at low and high microwave power. At sufficiently high power, the microwave irradiation induces tunneling through the first excited energy level of the $D_0$ energy of the donor. Such microwave assisted transport at zero bias enhances the resolution in the spectroscopy of the energy levels of the donor.