Hybrid Quantum Technologies in Silicon

We are an experimental group studying the interaction between spins, photons and phonons in silicon. Our motivation is both in enabling quantum devices and in studying the fundamental quantum phenomena.
Visible both out Bluefors dilution refrigerator and Montana C2 cryostation

Table of contents

Research group type
Research group
Core fields of research
Basic natural phenomena and mathematical thinking
Research areas
Nanoscience Center
Materials physics
Second quantum revolution
Sustainable society
Faculty
Faculty of Mathematics and Science
Department
Department of Physics

Research group description

Quantum technologies will be one of the defining technologies of our future. Quantum mechanical phenomena enables creating new kinds of sensors, communication methods and computers. The realisation of a quantum computer would be a major shift in the computing capabilities of the human kind, and we can dream of e.g. full simulations of biological phenomenon.

We study how quantum computer components and quantum sensors could be realized using silicon, which is the current material basis all modern information technologies. Using silicon for quantum technologies would enable leveraging the existing huge fabrication infrastructure and allow easy integration to classical electronics and photonics.

On the fundamental side, we aim to probe the possible size and time limits of quantum phenomena, by coupling long coherence time qubit systems to massive quantum oscillators.

Recent news

Research topics

Spin - optomechanics

Donor spins in silicon are one of the most coherent quantum system in solid state. They however still lack convenient coupling and readout mechanisms. Here we aim to solve these issues by coupling the spins to silicon optomechanical structures, allowing for optical readout and phononic coupling between spins. 

Additionally, the coupling between the long coherence times spin qubits and semi-macroscopic mechanical resonator opens up possibilities to study the possible time and size boundaries of quantum effects coming from e.g. gravitational effects. 

Spin - photonics

Silicon photonic crystals give us a flexible method to both guide light on chip and concentrate it in cavities where light-matter interaction can be maximised. We study photonic crystal structures to combine them with emitters in silicon that also have a spin degree-of-freedom. Special interest lies in helical waveguide structures. 

We also study the donor bound exciton transitions for a hybrid electro-optical spin readout.

Quantum control of mechanical systems

The optomechanical structures we work with are suspended photonic crystal structures. We mostly work with devices deep in the non-resolved sideband limit where the outgoing light reflects directly the instantaneous position of the mechanical oscillator. This allows using the toolbox of measurement based back-action for the control of the mechanical system. We are especially interested in pulsed measurements and feedback.

Integrating donor spins and commercial quantum dot devices

Here we will develop readout methods for donor spins based on a resonant spin-dependent bound exciton transition which we will excite using resonant lasers and detect using  on-chip  detectors  based  on  the  silicon  quantum  dot  devices  produced  by  the start-up Semiqon Oy. This readout can work at low magnetic fields and 4 K temperatures. The project is done in close collaboration with Semiqon Oy. The integration of commercial silicon quantum dots, donor spins and silicon photonics will produce a novel quantum sensing and quantum computing platform with both research and commercial potential.

Infrastructure

Our measurement lab has several optical setups around a 4 K cryostat (Montana Cryostation C2) and a dilution refrigerator (Bluefors LD400). Both allow also electrical addressing up to 40 GHz, we have sources and a VNA up to these frequencies. We use mainly continous wavelength tunable diode lasers at the telecom range around 1550 nm. 

Nanofabrication is done in the cleanroom of the Nanoscience Center, which has all the needed capabilities from electron beam lithography to metal evaporation and ICP-RIE etching.

The group

Group picture

A group outing in the beginning of 2024. From left: Simeoni Ahopelto, Cliona Shakespeare, Antti Kanniainen, Charles Rambo, Juha Muhonen, Arvind Kumar, Milla Männikkö, Henri Lyyra.

Publications

Publication
2024
Available through Open Access

Optics express
Shakespeare, Cliona
Kumar, Arvind S.
Muhonen, Juha T.
Publication
2023
Available through Open Access

Physical Review Applied
La Gala, Giada R.
Kumar, Arvind Shankar
Leijssen, Rick
Verhagen, Ewold
Muhonen, Juha T.
Publication
2023
Available through Open Access

Physical Review Materials
Loippo, Teemu
Kanniainen, Antti
Muhonen, Juha T.
Publication
2021
Available through Open Access

Nanotechnology
Laucht, Arne
Hohls, Frank
Ubbelohde, Niels
Gonzalez-Zalba, M. Fernando
Reilly, David J.
Stobbe, Søren
Schröder, Tim
Scarlino, Pasquale
Koski, Jonne V.
Dzurak, Andrew
Yang, Chih-Hwan
Yoneda, Jun
Kuemmeth, Ferdinand
Bluhm, Hendrik
Pla, Jarryd
Hill, Charles
Salfi, Joe
Oiwa, Akira
Muhonen, Juha T.
Verhagen, Ewold
LaHaye, M. D.
Kim, Hyun Ho
Tsen, Adam W.
Culcer, Dimitrie
Geresdi, Attila
Mol, Jan A.
Mohan, Varun
Jain, Prashant K.
Baugh, Jonathan
Publication
2021
Available through Open Access

Materials for Quantum Technology
Shakespeare, Cliona
Loippo, Teemu
Lyyra, Henri
Muhonen, Juha T.
Publication
2019
Available through Open Access

Physical Review Letters
Muhonen, Juha T.
La Gala, Giada R.
Leijssen, Rick
Verhagen, Ewold

Research group