Quantum Computer Made of Standard Semiconductor Materials

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However, there is one problem: “We found out that the strain in the semiconductor material leads to a new and until recently unknown mechanism that results in the loss of quantum information,” says Alexander Bechtold. The strain creates tiny electric fields in the semiconductor that influence the nuclear spin orientation of the atomic nuclei.

“It’s a kind of piezoelectric effect,” says Bechthold. “It results in uncontrolled fluctuations in the nuclear spins.” These can, in turn, modify the spin of the electrons, i.e. the stored information. The information is lost within a few hundred nanoseconds.

In addition, Alexander Bechthold’s team was able to provide concrete evidence for further information loss mechanisms, for example that electron spins are generally influenced by the spins of the surrounding 100,000 atomic nuclei.

Preventing Quantum Mechanical Amnesia

“However, both loss channels can be switched off when a magnetic field of around 1.5 tesla is applied,” says Bechtold. “This corresponds to the magnetic field strength of a strong permanent magnet. It stabilizes the nuclear spins and the encoded information remains intact.”

“Overall, the system is extremely promising,” according to Jonathan Finley, head of the research group. “The semiconductor quantum dots have the advantage that they harmonize perfectly with existing computer technology since they are made of similar semiconductor material.” They could even be equipped with electrical contacts, allowing them to be controlled not only optically using a laser, but also using voltage pulses.

The research was funded by the European Union (S3 Nano and BaCaTeC), the US Department of Energy, the US Army Research Office (ARO), the German Research Foundation DFG (excellence cluster Nanosystems Munich (NIM) and SFB 631), the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation as well as the TUM Institute for Advanced Study (Focus Group Nanophotonics and Quantum Optics).

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