Quantum Computing with Holes

Missing electrons in a solid material can act as qubits

The EU-funded MaGnum and microSPIRE projects have developed a new technique that could lead to using missing electrons in solid material (so-called “holes”) as qubits for a quantum computer. According to the European Commission’s Cordis website, “Even though holes aren’t real particles, they have many properties in common with electrons. They interact when they come close to each other, and they also possess the quantum mechanical property of spin.”

The results of their experiments appear in the journal Natural Materials. The team used metalloid germanium a material for the experiment, and they were even able to use tiny nano-scale electrical wires to serve as gates that controlled the movement and voltage of the holes.