Arrays of electrons trapped in nanoscale circuitry could form the basis for future scalable quantum computers

A single electron trapped in a semiconductor nanostructure can form the most basic of building blocks for a quantum computer. Before practical quantum computers can be realized, however, scientists need to develop a scalable architecture that allows full control over individual electrons in computational arrays.

Matthieu Delbecq and colleagues from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, in collaboration with researchers from Purdue University in the United States, have now demonstrated the scalability of quantum dot architectures by trapping and controlling four electrons in a single device.