Several unique phenomena that could benefit quantum computing have been observed in quantum dots made from bilayer graphene. The research was done by Christoph Stampfer at RWTH Aachen University and colleagues in Germany and Japan, who showed how the structure can host an electron in one layer and a hole in the other. What is more, the quantum spin states of these two entities are near perfect mirrors of each other.
A quantum dot is a tiny piece of semiconductor with electronic properties that are more like an atom than a bulk material. For example, an electron in a quantum dot is excited into a series of quantized energy levels – much like in an atom. This is unlike a conventional solid, in which electrons are excited into a conduction band. This atom-like behaviour can be fine-tuned by adjusting the size and shape of the quantum dot.
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