A 2D quantum dot array in planar $^{28}$Si/SiGe

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the creation and control of a 2x2 array of silicon quantum dots in a $^{28}$Si/SiGe heterostructure, advancing the development of scalable spin qubit systems for quantum computing.

Contribution

It reports the first formation and tunable coupling of a 2D quantum dot array in $^{28}$Si/SiGe, enabling scalable silicon-based quantum computing architectures.

Findings

Successfully formed a 2x2 quantum dot array in $^{28}$Si/SiGe.

Achieved single-electron loading in all four dots.

Tuned tunnel couplings from 30 μeV to 400 μeV.

Abstract

Semiconductor spin qubits have gained increasing attention as a possible platform to host a fault-tolerant quantum computer. First demonstrations of spin qubit arrays have been shown in a wide variety of semiconductor materials. The highest performance for spin qubit logic has been realized in silicon, but scaling silicon quantum dot arrays in two dimensions has proven to be challenging. By taking advantage of high-quality heterostructures and carefully designed gate patterns, we are able to form a tunnel coupled 2 $\times$ 2 quantum dot array in a $^{28}$Si/SiGe heterostructure. We are able to load a single electron in all four quantum dots, thus reaching the (1,1,1,1) charge state. Furthermore we characterise and control the tunnel coupling between all pairs of dots by measuring polarisation lines over a wide range of barrier gate voltages. Tunnel couplings can be tuned from about $30~\rm \mu eV$ up to approximately $400~\rm \mu eV$. These experiments provide a first step toward the operation of spin qubits in $^{28}$Si/SiGe quantum dots in two dimensions.