Cavity quantum electrodynamics for

optical manipulation of spin qubits in silicon

Salahuddin Nur

Supervisor: Dr. John J. L. Morton

Electronic Materials and Devices Research Group, Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, UCL

V. Cavity quantum electrodynamics for QIP

I. Abstract

Cavity quantum electrodynamics:

The realization of efficient optical spin manipulation technique in silicon would

provide a near-ideal quantum information processing (QIP) system. However,
optical spin manipulation in silicon is challenging due to the presence of an indirect bandgap. In this work, we research the potential of implementing a photonic
crystal nanocavity for enhancing spontaneous emission and photon extraction
efficiency to develop optical control techniques for donor spins in silicon.

study of interaction between light and particles in a cavity.

treats the modification of the emission properties of emitters
both strong and weak coupling regime are useful in QIP
Purcell Effect:
emission depends on the electromagnetic environment
tailored cavity can enhance spontaneous emission
observed in weakly coupled cavity

II. Quantum information processing

Quantum Computer:
utilises quantum mechanics to carry out computation
uses quantum state superposition and entanglement.
can test a vast number of possibilities simultaneously

VI. Photonic crystal cavity for enhanced emission

Photonic Crystals:

unit of quantum information,

quantum analogue of the classical bit
coded in two-level quantum systems

|1>

(Classical Bit)

'

(Quantum Bit)

|0>

Bit Number
0

Bit Number

0.5

Photonic Band Gap

0.4
0.3 TE modes

M K

0.2
0.1
0

TM modes

the total efficiency of light emission from an emitter can be expressed

Si:P (ESR)

1 h
1,000 s

Matured fabrication technology

Scalable realization
Low spin-orbit coupling
Near zero nuclear spin environment
Long coherence time

0.6

Enhancement of light emission by photonic crystal cavities:

III. Silicon as a platform for QIP

Advantages of Silicon based QIP systems:

periodic arrangements of dielectric media

photonic semiconductors
allow unprecedented control over light
provide electromagnetic cavity if doped
can tailor spontaneous emission

0.7
Frequency a/2 c

Classical Bit vs. Qubit (Quantum bit)

Qubit:

0.8

28 Si:P (ESR)

Si:P (EDMR)
28 Si:Sb (Near surface)
Si:Bi
SiGe quantum dot
MOS quantum dot
|0

1 min
1s

(total) = (emission) (extraction) (collection)

photonic crystal can enhance all three of them with careful design

T1

1 ms

T2

T2

T1

T1

|1

T2

Nucleus

Electron

Donors in silicon:
are impurities with an extra electron
resemble hydrogen atom at low temperatures
promising candidate for qubit realisation

n2
31 P

e1

e2
n1

Light emission from crystalline silicon photonic crystal cavities:

Donor bound excitons and their recombination in silicon:

Nuclear spin

an exciton is an electron and a hole bound by Coulomb force

bound excitons are excitons localized at impurity atoms
D0X recombination

Donor-bound exciton (D 0 X)

Auger
recombination

Radiative
recombination

E NP
k0

k0

SO LH

-X

Electron spin

HH
X

k0

k0

-X

Critical issues for getting purcell enhancement:

weak coupling, spectral and spatial matching of emitter

narrower emitter linewidth, high quality factor and low mode volume
Donor bound excitons in silicon photonic crystal cavity:

IV. Optical manipulation of donor spin in silicon

Optical control over spin qubit promises:

very fast gate operation

low-power flying qubit
single donor control
quantum network

neutral donor
bound exciton

_
+

, e

VII. Conclusion

Radiative
excitation and
recombination

neutral donor

Optical readout of doner spin in silicon is difficult:

indirect electronic bandgap

InP Si
Electrons

Energy

dominant Auger recombination

reabsorption of emission
free carrier absorption

has significant potential for optical manipulation of donor spin and QIP
has not been investigated thoroughly yet!
the main focus of this work!

Indirect Phonon

hv

recombination

Direct
recombination

Holes

Free-carrier
absorption
X

Auger
recombination

Wave vector

Enhancement of no phonon emission from donor bound excitons in silicon photonic crystal cavity has significant potential due to the features such as narrow
emitter linewidth, low temperature operation, high quality factor and low mode
volume of the cavity. Enhanced no phonon transition can make optical control of
donor spin qubit a reality. This potential makes the research very attractive even
though there are several challenges to overcome.
Sponsored by:

References:
1. J. J. L. Morton, and et al., Nature 479, 345 (2011).
2. J. J. Pla, and et al., Nature 496, 334 (2013).
3. Y. Yamamoto, et al., Physica Scripta 2009, 014010 (2009).
4. J. Joannopoulos, and et al., Photonic Crystals: Molding the Flow of Light, 2008
5. S. Iwamoto and et al., IEICE Transactions on Electronics E95.C, 206 (2012).
6. M. Fujita, and et al., IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics 14, 1090 (2008).
7. N. Hauke, and et al., New Journal of Physics 12, 053005 (2010).