Physics Maths Engineering

Recent progress in undoped group-IV heterostructures for quantum technologies



  Peer Reviewed

Abstract

Abstract Silicon has been a core material for digital computing owing to its high mobility, stability oxide interface, mature manufacturing technologies for more than half a century. While Moore’s law seems to further advance via various technologies to extend its expiration date, some intractable problems that requires processing times growing exponentially cannot be solved in a reasonable scale of time. Meanwhile, quantum computing is a promising tool to perform calculations much more efficiently than classical computing for certain types of problems. To realize a practical quantum computer, quantum dots on group-IV semiconductor heterostructures are promising due to the long decoherence time, scalability, and compatibility with the Si very-large-scale integrated technology. In this review, we start with the advancement of group-IV undoped heterostructures since 2000 and review carrier transport properties in these undoped heterostructure. We also review the hole effective masses, spin-orbit coupling, and effective g-factors in the Ge-based heterostructures and conclude with a brief summary.

Key Questions

What are undoped group-IV heterostructures?

Undoped group-IV heterostructures are semiconductor structures composed of group-IV elements (such as silicon and germanium) that are engineered without intentional impurity doping. These structures are pivotal in quantum technology research due to their compatibility with existing silicon-based technology and their potential for hosting quantum bits (qubits).

Why are undoped heterostructures significant for quantum technologies?

Undoped heterostructures offer high mobility and reduced impurity scattering, which are essential for maintaining quantum coherence. Their compatibility with silicon-based fabrication techniques makes them promising candidates for scalable quantum computing architectures.

What advancements have been made in carrier transport properties of these heterostructures?

Recent studies have shown that undoped group-IV heterostructures exhibit enhanced carrier mobility and reduced scattering, which are beneficial for quantum device performance. These improvements are attributed to advancements in material growth techniques and better interface engineering.

How do hole effective masses and spin-orbit coupling in Ge-based heterostructures impact quantum devices?

In Ge-based heterostructures, the hole effective mass and spin-orbit coupling play crucial roles in determining the qubit's energy levels and coherence times. Understanding these properties aids in designing quantum devices with optimized performance.

What are the future prospects of undoped group-IV heterostructures in quantum technology?

Undoped group-IV heterostructures are expected to play a significant role in the development of scalable and high-fidelity quantum devices. Ongoing research focuses on improving material quality and understanding quantum phenomena in these systems to advance quantum computing and related technologies.