Dr Gareth Podd

Research Interests

• Quantum information
• Radio-frequency reflectometry
• Quantum dots

My research interests are in the field of quantum effects in silicon nanodevices. Silicon is a promising material for quantum computation both for practical reasons related to compatability with conventional processing techniques and for its material properties which promise long spin coherence times. In this laboratory the first silicon charge qubit was demonstrated (Gorman et al, PRL 090502 (2005)) using isolated double quantum dots formed by trench isolation in highly doped silicon-on-insulator. I have been working as part of a team in this laboratory to investigate this system further as a candidate for quantum computation. I have also been working in conjunction with members of the Microelectronics Research centre at the Cavendish Laboratory on single electron devices formed electrostatically in intrinsic silicon using surface gates. This system is an excellent research tool as it allows a large degree of tunability, as the tunnel barriers that define the quantum dots can be modified in-situ. Using this system we have recently demonstrated charge sensing using a single electron transistor to monitor electron additions onto a neighbouring quantum dot (for more information please see the APL paper (2010)). This system offers the promise of accessing the few-electron regime with a view to studying spin and charge effects important for quantum information processing. These devices can also be operated as rf-SETs, opening up possibilities for fast measurements and the observation of effects that are not possible with conventional dc measurements.

Recent Research projects

Last Publications

• A. C. Betz, M. F. Gonzalez-Zalba, G. Podd, and A. J. Ferguson, Appl. Phys. Lett. 105, 153113 (2014), Ambipolar quantum dots in intrinsic silicon

• M. F. Gonzalez-Zalba, D. Heiss, G. Podd, and A. J. Ferguson, Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 10, 103504 (2012), Tunable aluminium-gated single electron transistor on a doped silicon-on-insulator etched nanowire

• T. Ferrus, A. Rossi, M. Tanner, G. Podd, P. Chapman, and D. A. Williams, New J. Phys. 13, 10, 103012 (2011), Detection of charge motion in a non-metallic silicon isolated double quantum dot