A defect in diamond known as the nitrogen-vacancy center has been recognized as a potential qubit candidate for use in quantum computation. Although the center has been studied extensively creating devices with diamond and integrating them into existing technology has proven to be difficult. Our goal is to characterize defects in conventional wide bandgap semiconductors and determine if they can be used for quantum computing. Since qubit candidates must have luminescence which varies by spin sublevel we plan on using luminescence spectroscopy of GaN to determine which types of defects should be considered. Then we will use first-principles calculations to get a better understanding of the electronic structure of these defects and determine their viability as qubits.

I am currently a senior studying electrical engineering. I am interested in using computational methods to determine properties of materials. I hope to learn more about both the theory behind first-principles calculations and how they can be applied to design novel electronic devices.