STRONG-COUPLING QUANTUM DOT MICROSCOPE

VAlue proposition

 

There is an ongoing search for useful states that allow them to be used as building blocks for topological quantum computers. In such systems, information is stored in these states, making it inherently protected from local disturbances and errors. This robustness is a significant advantage over traditional qubits, which are more susceptible to decoherence. Majorana bound states are zero-energy states that emerge in certain topological superconductors, exhibiting unique properties that make them promising candidates for quantum computing applications. Their unique properties and potential applications in topological quantum computing make them a subject of intense study, with ongoing efforts to explore their practical uses in future quantum technologies.  The Strong-Coupling Quantum Dot Microscope (SCQDM) is a novel scanning technology capable of probing quantum phenomena beyond the reach of other instruments.

 

Description of Technology

 

The SCQDM is a novel scanning quantum dot microscope that relies on a capacitive charge sensing scheme and asymmetric tip apex to probe the electronic structure of materials. The microscope is tailored to test for exotic emergent phenomena in condensed matter systems including Majorana bound states. The key innovation is the geometry of the junctions which define a quantum dot at the tip's apex. The tip consists of a chemically etched glass fiber with a nanoscale metal electrode at the apex. This metal electrode is the quantum dot; it is connected to the rest of the system via two asymmetric metallic leads, which are in turn connected to a capacitance sensing circuit. By defining a tilted and asymmetric quantum dot, the SCQDM allows for strong coupling of the quantum dot to the MBS, a necessary requirement for verification of the MBS’s salient properties.  The main advantage of this technology is the asymmetric tip design which allows for a more robust probe capable of tunneling into the surface of a sample in the strong coupling regime. The key is that the SCQDM is based on a capacitance measurement that requires only one tunneling junction connected to the quantum dot. Moreover, the tilted design of the tip allows one to position the quantum dot very close to the surface while maintaining the tunneling junction a safe distance of tens of nanometers from the sample surface, hence protecting the delicate tunneling junction. The SCQDM is a novel strong-coupling quantum dot microscope.

 

Benefits

  • A novel scanning probe technique that can detect signatures of Majorana bound states
  • Utilizes quantum dot coupled to a single tunneling lead,
  • Measurement proximity of about 1 nm or less

 

Applications

  • Scanning Electron Microscopy
  • Quantum computers

 

IP Status

US11,693,024

 

LICENSING RIGHTS AVAILABLE

Full licensing rights available

 

INVENTOR: Dr. Stuart Tessmer

 

Tech ID: TEC2021-0003

Patent Information: