Enhanced Spin-Orbit Coupling in Bilayer Graphene/WSe2 Quantum Devices

Bilayer graphene is emerging as a promising material platform for quantum applications. When combined with transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in bilayer graphene is significantly enhanced via the proximity effect, while maintaining its high mobility. To exploit this potential, we investigate 1D and 0D quantum devices in bilayer graphene/TMD heterostructures, addressing device quality, SOC strength, and tuneability questions.

This work characterizes quantum point contacts and quantum dots in various bilayer graphene/WSe2 devices. We observe a reproducible Ising-type spin-orbit gap in this hybrid system, which is enhanced by over an order of magnitude compared to pristine bilayer graphene, reaching up to 1.5meV. Additionally, we demonstrate the tunability of the induced SOC strength, ranging from its maximum value to complete suppression, by adjusting the perpendicular electric field and the stacking order of graphene and TMDs.

The combination of enhanced and tunable SOC in these systems offers significant potential for future quantum computing and spintronics applications. As a high SOC is beneficial for rapid qubit manipulation, integrating bilayer graphene with TMDs presents a promising possibility for realizing qubits in 2D systems.