Device simulation of p-orbital qubits on a realistic semiconductor architecture

Semiconductor p-orbital (pO) qubits encode information in the orbital degree of freedom of an electron confined in a gate-defined silicon quantum dot filled with 5 electrons. The logical states correspond to two p-like orbital states, and qubit control is achieved by tuning the anisotropy of the confining potential. We simulate the properties of a pO qubit in a linear three-dot array using coupled Schrödinger–Poisson and full configuration interaction (FCI) methods. These simulations, which can be extended to alternative device geometries, quantify how voltages applied to the confining gates determine dot anisotropy and orbital energy splitting. The results offer insight into the design and control of pO qubits in realistic semiconductor architectures.