Silicon offers the enticing opportunity to integrate hybrid quantum-classical computing systems on a single platform. For qubit control and readout, high-frequency signals are required. Therefore, devices that can facilitate its generation are needed. Here, we present a quantum dot-based radiofrequency multiplier operated at cryogenic temperatures. The device is based on the non-linear capacitance-voltage characteristics of quantum dot systems arising from their low-dimensional density of states. We implement the multiplier in a multi-gate silicon nanowire transistor using two complementary device configurations: a single quantum dot coupled to a charge reservoir and a coupled double quantum dot. We study the harmonic voltage conversion as a function of energy detuning, multiplication factor and harmonic phase noise and find near ideal performance up to a multiplication factor of 10. Our results demonstrate a method for high-frequency conversion that could be readily integrated into silicon-based quantum computing systems and be applied to other semiconductors.
@article{arxiv.2211.14127,
title = {A quantum dot-based frequency multiplier},
author = {G. A. Oakes and L. Peri and L. Cochrane and F. Martins and L. Hutin and B. Bertrand and M. Vinet and A. Gomez Saiz and C. J. B. Ford and C. G. Smith and M. F. Gonzalez-Zalba},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2211.14127},
year = {2023}
}