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Updated: May 5, 2026

Nanofabrication of Gate-defined GaAs/AlGaAs Lateral Quantum Dots
Published on: November 2, 2013
Driven coherent oscillations of a single electron spin in a quantum dot
F H L Koppens1, C Buizert, K J Tielrooij
1Kavli Institute of NanoScience, Delft University of Technology, PO Box 5046, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands. f.h.l.koppens@tudelft.nl
Researchers demonstrated coherent control of single electron spins in quantum dots. This breakthrough paves the way for scalable quantum computing using electron spins as quantum bits.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Computing
- Spintronics
- Condensed Matter Physics
Background:
- Scalable quantum computers require precise control over quantum bits.
- Single electron spins in quantum dots are promising candidates for quantum bits.
- Controlled exchange gates between spins enable universal quantum operations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally realize coherent single electron spin rotations in a double quantum dot.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of using electron spins as quantum bits for quantum computation.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing on-chip generated continuous-wave oscillating magnetic fields for electron spin resonance.
- Employing spin-dependent transport measurements in a double quantum dot system.
- Applying short bursts of oscillating magnetic fields to achieve coherent spin control.
Main Results:
- Observed electron spin resonance via spin-dependent transport measurements.
- Achieved coherent control of electron spin states, demonstrating Rabi oscillations.
- Observed approximately eight Rabi oscillations within a microsecond burst.
Conclusions:
- Successfully demonstrated coherent control of single electron spins in a quantum dot.
- Validated the potential of electron spins in quantum dots as functional quantum bits.
- Paved the way for scalable spin-based quantum computing architectures.
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