Graphene double quantum dot as a solid-state two-level system in the THz range

Abstract

Matter-based two-level quantum systems are fundamental building blocks of quantum technologies, underpinning applications in quantum computing, simulation, communication, and sensing. Today, most of these two-level quantum systems, including Rydberg atoms, trapped ions, superconducting circuits, molecules, and quantum dots, involve transition frequencies in microwave or optical domains. However, extending their transition frequency to the THz spectral range could provide numerous benefits, leveraging the unique properties of THz radiation. Here, we show that an hBN-encapsulated graphene double quantum dot realizes a two-level system with a transition frequency in the THz spectral range. Using low-temperature transport spectroscopy in the dark combined with modeling based on nonequilibrium Green's function formalism, we demonstrate the formation of an artificial molecule, featuring bonding and antibonding states separated by an energy of up to 0.6 meV, corresponding to a resonance frequency of 0.145 THz. This approach provides direct access to important parameters of open double quantum dot systems, including tunneling rates, offering a practical alternative to conventional techniques such as photon-assisted tunneling, which are challenging to implement at THz frequencies. The realized 2D-material-based THz two-level system, compatible with direct on-chip integration, could serve as a key building block for future THz quantum technologies. Furthermore, by involving a single-electron transition, coupling these devices to a THz resonator could enable the exploration of ultra-strong light-matter interactions at the fundamental limit of a single transition coupled to a single cavity, beyond the reach of existing THz quantum systems based on collective transitions.