High-mobility 2D hole systems for quantum computing applications

Abstract

One of the leading candidates for a solid-state quantum bit is the spin of a single electron confined in a semiconductor. Coherent control of individual electron spins has already been demonstrated in quantum dots in high-mobility 2D electron systems in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures. The major source of decoherence in such experiments is coupling between electron spins and nuclear spins in the host GaAs semiconductor. It has been proposed that hole spins in GaAs would be better suited for such experiments due to a lesser coupling between hole and nuclear spins. Building on recent successes in the growth of high-mobility 2D hole systems (2DHS) via carbon doping of (100) oriented GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures, we have developed 2DHS at Sandia to enable experiments investigating the physics of hole spins in GaAs, looking towards eventual applications in the area of quantum computing.