GERSHENSON LAB MESOSCOPIC PHYSICS and QUANTUM COMPUTING

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CURRENT RESEARCH: Realization of Protected Quantum Bits (qubits) based on ultra-small Josephson junctions. The goal is to develop a fundamentally new class of superconducting logical elements of a quantum computer that would be protected from all sources of local noises. Our approach is based on constructing a fault-tolerant logical qubit that is protected from local noises due to the entanglement of a few "faulty" quantum elements. It is expected that this entanglement can significantly increase the coherence time of a logical qubit. Quantum Phase Transitions in Unconventional Josephson Arrays The study of charge transport in novel types of the arrays of sub-micron Josephson junction (the arrays with a large number of nearest-neighbor elements, arrays with a large number of junctions per unit cell, and arrays with non-trivial topologies) addresses several fundamental problems of the physics of quantum disordered systems, including quantum phase transitions in systems with and without long-range interactions, emergent glassy behavior, and formation of topological phases. Advanced Materials for Superconducting Qubits with Long Coherence Time    We collaborate with Hypres Inc. on testing the materials for the fabrication of superconducting qubits. RECENT PROJECTS: Quantum transport and interactions in mesoscopic conductors, with special emphasis on the decoherence effects in low-dimensional conductors at ultra-low temperatures. Electron-phonon interaction in metals and semiconductors at ultra-low temperatures. The applied aspects of this research involve the development of ultra-sensitive hot-electron detectors of submillimeter and far infra-red electromagnetic radiation for the deep-space NASA missions (in collaboration with the Jet Propulsion Lab and Yale). Quantum effects in the conductivity of high-mobility Si MOSFETs at ultra-low temperatures. In particular, we have studied the electron-electron interactions in two-dimensional systems in the regime of low carrier densities. Electronic effects in single crystals of organic molecular semiconductors, including the development of novel field-effect devices based on organic crystals and exploring the fundamental processes that determine operation and ultimate performance of organic electronic devices. Vitaly Podzorov, who became a faculty at Rutgers in Sept. 2007, continues this research in his lab (http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~podzorov/index.htm). For the fabrication of nanoscale electronic structures we have developed the Nanofabrication Facility at the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The Gershenson Lab acknowledges funding from the NSF and DARPA