Electron and nuclear spins at the frontiers of nanotechnology and quantum information science

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Quantum information science has developed over the last two decades into a core research area of interest around the world. Game-changing applications in communication, computing, simulation and metrology are expected to develop over the next couple of decades as a full-fledged quantum information technology industry emerges. A key open question is, "can a solid-state approach to building scalable quantum processors be viable?" Such an approach would benefit greatly from the fabrication expertise of existing semiconductor-based information technologies to achieve powerful quantum information processors at reasonable cost. Nanoelectronics devices working at the single electron level have tremendous potential to fill this role, and this project will address the key challenges to making these devices viable building blocks. Challenges in the solid-state include maintaining quantum coherence, performing reliable measurements, and the reproducibility (yield) of devices fabricated at the nanoscale. Our approaches marry the charge and spin aspects of the electron to get the "best of both worlds" in terms of coherence and controllability. The ideas underlying these approaches are powerful, and our experiments will put them to the test. Canada's competitive edge in the the future world of quantum technologies depends critically on the innovations that will come from testing these ideas.