Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
05:39
Scalable Quantum Integrated Circuits on Superconducting Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Platform
Published on: August 2, 2019
Scalable Quantum Current Source on Commercial CMOS Process Technology
Ajit Dash1,2, Suyash Pati Tripathi3, Dimitrios Georgakopoulos4
1School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Nano Letters
|June 24, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a quantum current standard using commercial complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. This breakthrough enables direct electrical standards, advancing quantum electrical metrology and hardware engineering.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Metrology
- Solid-State Physics
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Precise electrical current standards are crucial for technology but are currently indirect, relying on voltage and resistance.
- Silicon-based charge pumps offer a path to direct electrical standards due to their scalability and compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication.
- Previous demonstrations of coherent quantized charge transfer were limited to custom-fabricated nanoscale devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the feasibility of using commercially fabricated CMOS devices for a quantum current standard.
- To bridge the gap between academic research on quantum charge transfer and industrial fabrication.
- To advance quantum electrical metrology and quantum hardware engineering.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a commercial 22 nm process node CMOS device for charge pump fabrication.
- Measured the accuracy of two parallel-connected charge pumps.
- Employed SI-traceable voltage and resistance standards for calibration in a pumped helium system.
Main Results:
- Successfully realized a quantum current standard using a commercial CMOS device.
- Demonstrated the accuracy of the charge pumps against SI-traceable standards.
- Validated the translation of quantum effect device concepts to an industrial fabrication context.
Conclusions:
- Commercial CMOS technology can be used to create quantum current standards.
- This work paves the way for the widespread adoption of quantum electrical standards.
- Advances in quantum electrical metrology and quantum hardware engineering are facilitated by this industrial-scale approach.
Related Concept Videos
01:22MOSFET: Enhancement Mode
Enhancement-mode MOSFETs are pivotal components in electronics, distinguished by their capacity to act as highly efficient switches. They are part of the larger family of metal-oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs). They are available in two types: p-channel and n-channel, each tailored to specific polarity operations.
In their basic form, enhancement-mode MOSFETs are typically non-conductive when the gate-source voltage (Vgs) is zero. This default 'off' state means no current...
In their basic form, enhancement-mode MOSFETs are typically non-conductive when the gate-source voltage (Vgs) is zero. This default 'off' state means no current...
01:16MOSFET
The Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET) plays a pivotal role in modern electronics thanks to its versatility and efficiency in controlling electrical currents. This device, also known as IGFET, MISFET, and MOSFET, has three main terminals: the Source, Drain, and Gate. MOSFETs are classified into n-channel or p-channel types based on the doping characteristics of their substrate and the source or drain regions.
In an n-MOSFET, the structure includes n-type source and drain...
In an n-MOSFET, the structure includes n-type source and drain...
01:17MOSFET Amplifiers
The MOSFET, when operating in its active region, functions as a voltage-controlled current source. In this region, the gate-to-source voltage controls the drain current. This principle underlies the operation of the transconductance MOSFET amplifier. The output current is directed through a load resistor to convert this amplifier into a voltage amplifier. The output voltage is then obtained by subtracting the voltage drop across the load resistance from the supply voltage. This process results...
01:25MOS Capacitor
A Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) capacitor is a fundamental structure used extensively in semiconductor device technology, particularly in the fabrication of integrated circuits and MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors). The MOS capacitor consists of three layers: a metal gate, a dielectric oxide, and a semiconductor substrate.
The metal gate is typically made from highly conductive materials such as aluminum or polysilicon. Beneath the metal gate lies a thin layer of...
The metal gate is typically made from highly conductive materials such as aluminum or polysilicon. Beneath the metal gate lies a thin layer of...
01:23Small-Signal Analysis of MOSFET Amplifiers
In small-signal analysis, a MOSFET transistor amplifier acts as a linear amplifier when operating in its saturation region. The gate-to-source voltage (VGS) of the MOSFET is the sum of the DC biasing voltage and the small time-varying input signal. This combination sets up the operating point and modulates the drain current (ID) that flows from the drain to the source. When a small AC signal is superimposed on the DC bias voltage at the gate, the instantaneous drain current comprises three...
01:27Controlled-Current Coulometry: Overview
Controlled current coulometry, also known as amperostatic coulometry, is a technique used in electrochemical analysis to measure the quantity of a substance through the controlled passage of current. It involves the application of a constant current to an electrochemical cell containing the analyte of interest. As the current flows through the cell, the analyte undergoes a redox reaction at the electrode surface, resulting in a charge transfer. By monitoring the time required for a certain...