Quantum devices based on silicon carbide transistors

Unbreakable cryptography, teleportation of information and ultra-fast computing will soon cease to be figments of science fiction literature. These are now considered imminent realities enabled by the upbringing of quantum technologies [1]. Devices that exploit the laws of quantum physics are developing quickly and many materials are presently under scrutiny to build the future quantum hardware [2-3].
This project will investigate quantum effects in silicon carbide (SiC), a wide-bandgap compound semiconductor made of silicon and carbon. The aim of the studentship will be the development of device and testing technologies to electrically probe quantum defects in the semiconductor crystal [4-5]. A central aspect will be the prototyping of novel single-charge and single-spin electronics useful for quantum computing and quantum sensing. This project also aims at enabling large integration and scalability of SiC quantum devices, unlocking their commercial viability.

The research activities will balance device design and modelling, hands-on cleanroom fabrication, as well as electrical measurements at cryogenic temperatures. The student will be involved in making and characterising devices that span from metal-oxide-semiconductor nano-capacitors to LEDs and field-effect transistors.

[1] The European Quantum Flagship https://qt.eu
[2] T.D. Ladd et al. Nature 464, 45 (2010)
[3] D.D. Awschalom et al. Science 339, 1174 (2013)
[4] A. Lohrmann et al. Rep. Prog. Phys. 80, 034502 (2017)
[5] M. Atature et al. Nature Reviews Materials 3, 38 (2018)