Prof Michelle Y. Simmons

Scientia Professor of Physics, University of New South Wales
Australian Research Council Federation Fellow
BSc Phys, BSc Chem, PhD Durham UK

Centre Director & Work-Package Leader

Centre for Quantum Computation & Communication Technology
School of Physics
The University of New South Wales
SYDNEY 2052
Australia

Biography

Michelle Simmons obtained a double degree in physics and chemistry and was awarded a PhD in Physics from Durham University, UK in 1992. Her postdoctoral position was as a Research Fellow in quantum electronics at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, UK where she gained an internationalreputation for her work in the discovery of the ‘0.7 feature’ and metallic behaviour in 2D Gas hole systems. In 1999, she was awarded a QEII Fellowship and came to Australia where she was a founding member of the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer Technology.

Since then she has established a large research group dedicated to the fabrication of atomic-scale devices in silicon using the atomic precision of a scanning tunneling microscope. Her group is the only group world-wide that can make atomically precise devices in silicon: they have developed the world’s thinnest conducting doped wires in silicon, and the ability to manipulate and electronically measure devices with atomically precise dopant placement. She has published more than 300 papers in refereed journals including 25 Physical Review Letters and papers in Nature, Science, Nature Physics and Nature Nanotechnology. In 2005 she was awarded the Pawsey Medal by the Australian Academy of Science and in 2006 became one of the youngest elected Fellows of this Academy.

Michelle has served on numerous international committees, including the prestigious C8 Commission for Semiconductors and the International Union of Vacuum Science. Michelle has been a Chair of the ARC’s Expert Advisory Committee for Physics, Chemistry and Geoscience, and a member of the Australian Government’s National Research Priorities Committee. She is currently an Associate Editor of IEEE Journal for Nanotechnology and has been recognised as one of Australia’s top ten scientific minds under the age of 45. In 2008 she was awarded a second Federation Fellowship.

In 2011 Professor Simmons was named the NSW Scientist of the Year.

Research

The Solid State Quantum Computer

Professor Simmons heads a large group in atomic electronics in Sydney, whose ultimate aim is to fabricate the phosphorus in silicon qubit architecture one atomic layer at a time. Working with unique combined scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) systems, her team have achieved several major milestones in the development of STM-patterned devices, putting them at the forefront of this field. Current research focuses on coherent charge transfer between single and coupled quantum dots for with the goal of realizing prototype architectures for a solid state quantum computer in silicon.

Atomic-scale Devices in Silicon

In addition to the fabrication of quantum computer prototype devices, a new program has been established to exploit the technology developed to build conventional transistors in silicon at the atomic level. This program is developing atomic-scale devices in silicon with applications appropriate to and beyond quantum computation, including atomic-scale transistors, quantum wires and quantum circuits. Fundamental concepts of dopant ordering, device reproducibility and the key role that surface interface chemistry has on device operation are being addressed in close consultation with leading semiconductor corporations. The ultimate goal of this program is to couple atomic-scale lithography in silicon with molecular electronics.

Quantum Electronic Devices

Professor Simmons also has parallel research interests in the experimental investigation of quantum effects in extremely high quality GaAs based semiconductor devices. As electronic devices have become smaller and purer, interaction effects between the individual charge carriers become significant and dominate the physics of these systems. Her research here concentrates on understanding the fundamental nature of electrical conduction in high quality two-dimensional (2D) and one-dimensional (1D) GaAs-based electron and hole transistors. This work led to the classification of a new effect now known as the “0.7 structure” which remains the subject of intense investigation to understand the fundamental physics of one-dimensional systems.

Centre Related Publications