Eur. Phys. J. B (2015) 88: 15
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2014-50700-5

Regular Article

Ultrafast single electron spin manipulation in 2D semiconductor quantum dots with optimally controlled time-dependent electric fields through spin-orbit coupling

¹ Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems, University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
² ARAID Foundation, Edificion CEEI, María Luna 11, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain

^a e-mail: jbudagosky@bifi.es

Received: 10 October 2014
Received in final form: 18 November 2014
Published online: 12 January 2015

Abstract

We have studied theoretically the possibility of ultra-fast manipulation of a single electron spin in 2D semiconductor quantum dots, by means of high-frequency time-dependent electric fields. The electron spin degree of freedom is excited through spin-orbit coupling, and the procedure may be enhanced by the presence of a static magnetic field. We use quantum optimal control theory to tailor the temporal profile of the electric field in order to achieve the most effective manipulation. The scheme predicts significant control over spin operations in times of the order of picoseconds – an ultrafast time scale that permits to avoid the effects of decoherence if this scheme is to be used as a tool for quantum information processing.