Millikelvin confocal microscope with free-space access and high-frequency electrical control

Review of Scientific Instruments, vol. 95

Abstract

Cryogenic confocal microscopy is a powerful method for studying solid state quantum devices such as single photon sources and optically controlled qubits. While the vast majority of such studies have been conducted at temperatures of a few Kelvin, experiments involving fragile quantum effects often require lower operating temperatures. To also allow for electrical dynamic control, microwave connectivity is required. For polarization-sensitive studies, free space optical access is advantageous compared to fiber coupling. Here we present a confocal microscope in a dilution refrigerator providing all the above features at temperatures below 100 mK. The installed high frequency cabling meets the requirements for state-of-the-art spin qubit experiments. As another unique advantage of our system, the sample fitting inside a large puck can be exchanged while keeping the cryostat cold with minimal realignment. Assessing the performance of the instrument, we demonstrate confocal imaging, sub-nanosecond modulation of the emission wavelength of a suitable sample, and an electron temperature of 76 mK. While the instrument was constructed primarily with the development of optical interfaces to electrically controlled qubits in mind, it can be used for many experiments involving quantum transport, solid state quantum optics, and microwave-optical transducers.

Authors 6

1. Thomas Descamps Aachen JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University 1 , 52074 Aachen, Germany

2. Feng Liu Aachen JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University 1 , 52074 Aachen, Germany

3. Tobias Hangleiter Aachen JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University 1 , 52074 Aachen, Germany

4. Sebastian Kindel Aachen JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University 1 , 52074 Aachen, Germany

5. Beata E. Kardynal Aachen Department of Physics

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics, RWTH Aachen University 3 , 52074 Aachen, Germany

   Peter Grünberg Institute, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 2 , 52425 Jülich, Germany

6. Hendrik Bluhm Aachen JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   JARA-FIT Institute Quantum Information, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University 1 , 52074 Aachen, Germany