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The ability to coherently transport electron-spin states between different sites of gate-defined semiconductor quantum dots is an essential ingredient for a quantum-dot-based quantum computer. Previous shuttles using electrostatic gating were too slow to move an electron within the spin dephasing time across an array. Here, we report a nanosecond-timescale spin transfer of individual electrons across a quadruple-quantum-dot device. Utilizing enhanced relaxation rates at a so-called hot spot, we can upper bound the shuttle time to at most 150 ns. While actual shuttle times are likely shorter, 150 ns is already fast enough to preserve spin coherence in, e.g., silicon based quantum dots. This work therefore realizes an important prerequisite for coherent spin transfer in quantum dot arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the computer-automated tuning of gate-defined semiconductor double quantum dots in GaAs heterostructures. We benchmark the algorithm by creating three double quantum dots inside a linear array of four quantum dots. The algorithm sets the correct gate voltages for all the gates to tune the double quantum dots into the single-electron regime. The algorithm only requires (1) prior knowledge of the gate design and (2) the pinch-off value of the single gate T that is shared by all the quantum dots. This work significantly alleviates the user effort required to tune multiple quantum dot devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the Zeeman splitting in lateral quantum dots that are defined in GaAs-AlGaAs heterostructures by means of split gates. We demonstrate a nonlinear dependence of the splitting on magnetic field and its substantial variations from dot to dot and from heterostructure to heterostructure. These phenomena are important in the context of information processing since the tunability and dot-dependence of the Zeeman splitting allow for a selective manipulation of spins. We show that spin-orbit effects related to the GaAs band structure quantitatively explain the observed magnitude of the nonlinear dependence of the Zeeman splitting. Furthermore, spin-orbit effects result in a dependence of the Zeeman splitting on predominantly the out-of-plane quantum dot confinement energy. We also show that the variations of the confinement energy due to charge disorder in the heterostructure may explain the dependence of Zeeman splitting on the dot position. This position may be varied by changing the gate voltages, which leads to an electrically tunable Zeeman splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin-based electronics or spintronics relies on the ability to store, transport and manipulate electron spin polarization with great precision. In its ultimate limit, information is stored in the spin state of a single electron, at which point quantum information processing also becomes a possibility. Here, we demonstrate the manipulation, transport and readout of individual electron spins in a linear array of three semiconductor quantum dots. First, we demonstrate single-shot readout of three spins with fidelities of 97% on average, using an approach analogous to the operation of a charge-coupled device (CCD). Next, we perform site-selective control of the three spins, thereby writing the content of each pixel of this 'single-spin charge-coupled device'. Finally, we show that shuttling an electron back and forth in the array hundreds of times, covering a cumulative distance of 80 μm, has negligible influence on its spin projection. Extrapolating these results to the case of much larger arrays points at a diverse range of potential applications, from quantum information to imaging and sensing.

Transition voltage spectroscopy (TVS) has been proposed as a tool to analyze charge transport through molecular junctions. We extend TVS to Au-vacuum-Au junctions and study the distance dependence of the transition voltage V(t)(d) for clean electrodes in cryogenic vacuum. On the one hand, this allows us to provide an important reference for V(t)(d) measurements on molecular junctions. On the other hand, we show that TVS forms a simple and powerful test for vacuum tunneling models.