Adiabatic Transfer of Electrons in Coupled Quantum Dots

Abstract

We investigate the influence of dissipation on one- and two-qubit rotations in coupled semiconductor quantum dots, using a (pseudo) spin-boson model with adiabatically varying parameters. For weak dissipation, we solve a master equation, compare with direct perturbation theory, and derive an expression for the `fidelity loss' during a simple operation that adiabatically moves an electron between two coupled dots. We discuss the possibility of visualizing coherent quantum oscillations in electron `pump' currents, combining quantum adiabaticity and Coulomb blockade. In two-qubit spin-swap operations where the role of intermediate charge states has been discussed recently, we apply our formalism to calculate the fidelity loss due to charge tunneling between two dots.

13 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. B