Abstract
Surface-state electrons on liquid helium, localised in quantum dots, have been proposed as condensed matter qubits. We now demonstrate experimentally that small numbers of electrons, including a single isolated electron, can be held in a novel electrostatic trap above the surface of superfluid helium. A potential well is created using microfabricated electrodes in a 5 μm diameter pool of helium. Electrons are injected into the trap from an electron reservoir on a helium microchannel. They are individually detected using a superconducting single-electron transistor (SET) as an electrometer. A Coulomb staircase is observed as electrons leave the trap one-by-one until the trap is empty. A design for a prototype quantum information processor using an array of electron traps on liquid helium is presented.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1539-1543 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids |
| Volume | 66 |
| Issue number | 8-9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2005 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We thank A.J. Dahm, M.I. Dykman, J. Goodkind, S.A. Lyon, P.J. Meeson, P.M. Platzman and J. Saunders for discussions and F. Greenough, A.K. Betts and others for technical support. The work was supported by the EPSRC, by the EU Human Potential Programme under contract HPRN-CT-2000-00157 Surface Electrons , and by Royal Holloway, University of London.
Keywords
- A. Quantum wells
- A. Surfaces
- D. Electronic structure
- D. Surface properties
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemistry
- General Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics