Quantum, molecular and wide bandgap electronics

Under this heading, the Institut Néel’s activities concern quantum physics, molecular electronics and large-bandgap semiconductors.

We study novel quantum devices such as Josephson junctions, SQUID type superconducting interferometers, electronic micro-refrigerators, and artificial atoms and nanostructures as hosts for quantum bits (qubits). Beyond usual metals, these nanostructures are based on graphene, two-dimensional electron gases, superconductors, nanotubes. Their quantum properties are studied at low temperatures, high frequencies, under magnetic fields and by near-field microscopy. Theoretical work is combined with experiment to achieve deep understanding of the physics.

In the field of molecular electronics, our research is centred on transport in the single molecule. We study the Kondo effect and the effects of close proximity to a superconductor in the quantum dot formed by a molecule. Other work concerns the unique electronic transport properties of topological insulators.

Large-bandgap semiconductors are a family of materials with great potential for applications in very high voltage and high temperature electronics, in nanoelectronics, and at the interface of electronics and biology. We work on the growth of diamond with maximum control of trapping centres or doping, for fabrication of diamond based elementary components such as Schottky diodes and LEDs.

Rabi oscillations (quantum oscillation between two states)
in a superconducting circuit behaving like an artificial atom.