IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nature/v410y2001i6824d10.1038_35065032.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Coherent manipulation of semiconductor quantum bits with terahertz radiation

Author

Listed:
  • B. E. Cole

    (Institute for Quantum Engineering, University of California
    Toshiba Research Europe Limited, Cambridge Research Laboratory)

  • J. B. Williams

    (Institute for Quantum Engineering, University of California)

  • B. T. King

    (Institute for Quantum Engineering, University of California)

  • M. S. Sherwin

    (Institute for Quantum Engineering, University of California)

  • C. R. Stanley

    (University of Glasgow)

Abstract

Quantum bits1,2,3,4,5 (qubits) are the fundamental building blocks of quantum information processors, such as quantum computers6. A qubit comprises a pair of well characterized quantum states that can in principle be manipulated quickly compared to the time it takes them to decohere by coupling to their environment7. Much remains to be understood about the manipulation and decoherence of semiconductor qubits. Here we show that hydrogen-atom-like motional states of electrons bound to donor impurities in currently available semiconductors can serve as model qubits. We use intense pulses8 of terahertz radiation to induce coherent, damped Rabi oscillations9,10 in the population of two low-lying states of donor impurities in GaAs11,12,13. Our observations demonstrate that a quantum-confined extrinsic electron in a semiconductor can be coherently manipulated like an atomic electron, even while sharing space with ∼105 atoms in its semiconductor host. We anticipate that this model system will be useful for measuring intrinsic decoherence processes, and for testing both simple and complex manipulations of semiconductor qubits.

Suggested Citation

  • B. E. Cole & J. B. Williams & B. T. King & M. S. Sherwin & C. R. Stanley, 2001. "Coherent manipulation of semiconductor quantum bits with terahertz radiation," Nature, Nature, vol. 410(6824), pages 60-63, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:410:y:2001:i:6824:d:10.1038_35065032
    DOI: 10.1038/35065032
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/35065032
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/35065032?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:410:y:2001:i:6824:d:10.1038_35065032. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.