Quantum dots in silicon are promising candidates for implementation of solid-state quantum information processing. It is important to understand the effects of the multiple conduction band valleys of silicon on the properties of these devices. Here we introduce a novel, systematic effective mass theory of valley-orbit coupling in disordered silicon systems. This theory reveals valley-orbit hybridization effects that are detrimental for storing quantum information in the valley degree of freedom, including non-vanishing dipole matrix elements between valley states and altered intervalley tunneling.
@article{arxiv.1305.0488,
title = {Disorder-induced valley-orbit hybrid states in Si quantum dots},
author = {John King Gamble and M. A. Eriksson and S. N. Coppersmith and Mark Friesen},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1305.0488},
year = {2013}
}