EAGER: Quantum Manufacturing: Robust Atom-based Silicon Quantum Devices

这一早期概念探索性研究(AGIRE)量子制造奖支持通过将制造设备所需的科学提高到接近单个原子的大小来扩展半导体电子和量子设备的制造工艺的研究。这项研究的结果将使半导体器件的制造达到今天不可能的规模，促进国家繁荣和安全。扫描隧道显微镜被用作一种制造工具，用于确定单个磷掺杂原子在硅中具有接近晶格位置的完美位置。用于少数原子晶体管的原子级门和引线、基于掺杂剂的少原子量子比特器件和用于模拟量子模拟的掺杂剂阵列现在可以用于科学实验。掺杂剂的准确位置对器件性能起着至关重要的作用，推动了对原子完美的需求。目前在掺杂浓度或掺杂位置上的不精确仍然阻碍了强劲的制造。基于原子的硅量子设备已经引起了人们的兴奋，因为它们承诺提供最小、最密集的量子设备，同时仍然利用传统硅电子设备的能力。健壮的基于原子的硅量子器件需要先进的制造技术，精确控制掺杂的数量和精度。这项工作将把传统的纳米级制造科学推向强大的原子级制造，在这种情况下，基于硅的设备可以逐个原子地常规制造。这项研究将加速制造进入原子规模的设备领域。发展原子级固态量子器件的强劲制造将有助于满足国家对能够与传统电子集成的成功量子平台的迫切需求。反馈控制光刻的发展是为了使单个磷(P)掺杂能够在原子级完美地放置在硅(Si)上。这项研究将从一次性的完美布局演示发展到单个原子的强大精确布局，这些原子可以用于制造原子规模的固态硅器件。完美的位置将扩展到像B(B)这样的接受者。这种额外的能力将提供更广泛类别的量子设备，可以制造和利用。密度泛函理论将被用来模拟扫描隧道图像和确定B2H6及其击穿物种的择优附位。将为两个施主和两个受主结构生成一个类似的图像目录。这些目录将被用来识别沉积结构，并将开发新的反馈控制，以确保准确放置B受体和多掺杂结构。将在这些设备上进行传输和相关实验，并将其与理论进行比较，以验证设计的原子几何形状的精确制造。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This EArly-concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) Quantum Manufacturing award supports research to expand manufacturing processes for semiconductor electronic and quantum devices by advancing the science needed to manufacture devices down to the size-scale approaching single atoms. The results of this research will enable manufacturing of semiconductor devices at size scales not possible today, advancing national prosperity and security. A scanning tunneling microscope is used as a fabrication tool to deterministically place individual phosphorus dopant atoms in silicon with near lattice site perfection. Atomic-scale gates and leads for few atom transistors, dopant-based few-atom qubit devices and dopant arrays for analog quantum simulation can now be fabricated for scientific experiments. The exact positions of dopants play an essential role in device performance, driving the need for atomic perfection. Current imprecision in dopant concentration or dopant position still prevents robust manufacturing. Atom-based silicon quantum devices have generated excitement because they promise to provide the smallest, most dense quantum devices while still leveraging the power of traditional silicon electronics. Robust atom-based silicon quantum devices require advanced manufacturing with precise control over the number and precision of dopant placement. The work here will push traditional nanoscale manufacturing science toward robust atom-scale manufacturing where silicon-based devices can be routinely fabricated atom-by-atom. The research will accelerate manufacturing into the realm of atom-scale devices. Developing robust manufacturing of atom-scale solid state quantum devices will help address the critical national need for successful quantum platforms that can be integrated with conventional electronics.Feedback-controlled lithography was developed to allow atom-scale perfect placement of an individual phosphorus (P) dopant on silicon (Si). This research will advance from one-time demonstrations of perfect placement to robust precise placement of individual atoms that can be used to manufacture atom-scale solid-state Si devices. Perfect placement will be extended to acceptors like boron (B). This additional capability will provide a wider class of quantum devices that can be manufactured and exploited. Density functional theory will be used to simulate scanning tunneling images and determine preferred adsites for B2H6 and its breakdown species. A similar catalog of images will be generated for two-donor and two-acceptor structures. The catalogs will be used to identify deposited structures and new feedback control will be developed to ensure precise placement of B acceptors and multi-dopant structures. Transport and related experiments on these devices will be performed and compared to theory to verify the precision fabrication of atom geometries as designed.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.